Stockholm Syndrome
by Winged Lady Colette
Summary: I want to help, but my help is limited. Because he won't let me. Or even confide in me. Or even speak to me.
1. Like he would die

Stockholm Syndrome

**A/N: This is something new, I wanted to try! Please do read and enjoy!**

**Sasuke's POV**

"So, you think that he'll go out with me?" Sakura asks again for the umpteenth time. I sigh.

"Sakura, I don't know, please stop asking." I rub my face with my hand. She smiles at me sadly.

"Is there still trouble at home?"

I rub my temples and stare at the ground for a moment. "Yeah.... he's not getting any better. He still hasn't uttered a word to anyone. He won't even talk to me. It's like, whatever he saw," I look up at her, my brows coming together. "it's like he was really traumatized by it."

"At least he now sees people talking to him, instead of staring off into the distance. Summer is almost over, is he going to school?" She asks, putting a conferting hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, as far as I know."

Sakura smiles. "Everyone misses him, it'll do him good to be around his friends." _Instead of in a mental hospital, _she didn't add. I know she doesn't want to look at the dark side of this situation, and just mentioning the mental hospital he's been in for the last 23 months, would just be casting yet another shadow on my familys' life.

The bell rings. I turn to look to the door at the customer. I knock a folder off the counter. I kneel down to pick it up when I see a pale hand with long fingers picking it up for me.

I look up a little to see my brother, Itachi. His black eyes trained on me. He stands straight and offers his hand wordlessly. I take it and stand up, slowly.

Itachi cocks his head a little and offers the folder. I find myself looking at his lips, waiting for him to speak. It's hopeful and wishful thinking. Itachi hasn't spoken in a little over 2 years.

He was sent home about a week ago. He was mently stable, he just won't talk, the doctor told us. They would continue their sessions here. They believe Itachi will start talking if his life begins to return to being the same as it was before that night.

Flashes of Itachi cotted in blood come and go like a heartbeat.

"Itachi!" Sakura cheers. She scoots off the counter and jumps onto him, wrapping her arms around his waist. This releases me from my thoughts. I mentally thank Sakura.

Itachi hugs her back, silently.

She looks up at him. "How do you feel?" she asks.

Itachi stares. "..."

She smiles agian, still looking into the light and ignoring the dark. "I can't wait for school! I met this extremely cute guy! Oh, you'll never believe! Ok he's about yay tall...." her voice trails on. I just watch my brother.

He and Sakura split apart as she starts to explain this guy she met at the camp she went to last week and how he was coming to our school at the beginning of the school year.

He stares at her, listening to ever word she says.

I'll never forget that day and night. I was sick and felt absolutely terrible. Mom stayed home with me all day while Itachi went to school and dad went on a short business trip. I didn't get any better so late at night, mom asked Itachi to go to the store and get me headache medicine. He did and took about 2 hours. We were both worried, the police were called and they came right away. As we were giving them our information, Itachi walks into the house. I will never forget my mother rushing to the other room to greet him with a scream.

At that moment, I panicked. Forgetting my head ache, the police and I ran into the hallway that leads to the front door. Itachi stood there, unmoving. Blood coating every inch of his body. His face paler then what it used to be, even beneath a centimeter of blood.

Doctors said that none of the blood was his own.

Sense a week after the incident, no one could get Itachi to talk to them. He wouldn't even look at them. Physical contact with unfamiliar people was a big no-no.

The next day he was sent to a mental institute. Mom and dad were both heartbroken. I was only 13 at the time, my brother was only 15. Now, I'm 15 and he's 17.

I want my brother back. He used to smile all the time, and crack jokes, and even stayed up late and talked to me. Now he's sleeping more and staring at nothing. He acknowledges people, now, but he still doesn't respond. It's like he's an empty shell of who he used to be. He hasn't seen any of his friends in almost 2 years.

Does he miss them? Does he even know he had them? Or still has them? Does he even realise what people are saying to him? Is he completely brain dead? Will he ever recover? Will he ever again be the brother I love and adore so much?

No matter how much logic I try to throw into this, it makes no sense.

Sense that day, no one has found anyone dead. No one is missing. The blood is without a doubt not his, then who's blood is it? Was it even a human? What if it was an animal?

When Itachi was released, the news was all over it. They still are.

_"Traumatized Victim has been released to his family and friends after 2 years of useless probing and diagnostics in the brain. Yet to learn more on the incident that has accrued only 2 years ago." _The T.V anchor woman for the news says. _"Young 17 year old, Itachi Uchiha, has yet to speak with us on the matter, or anyone at all for the matter. We will have more in the upcoming days."_

The woman disappears from the T.V in the corner of the room on the wall.

I glare at it. I grab the remote from behind the counter, under the cash register and turn the T.V off.

Why don't they just dropped the matter? Why can't they wait to see if Itachi will talk? Why do they have to push it? So what, Itachi doesn't want to talk about it. It was most likely very traumatizing. He most likely doesn't want to even think about it! People keep asking him and it's all over the news! How is he to cope when everyone is trying to crawl into his mind to find out his thoughts because they doesn't seem to want to be formed into words.

Itachi touches my forehead. I look at him. His entire hand lays on my forehead and nose.

"What is it?" I ask, confused by his movements. Itachi tilts his head a little to the left then to the right, then back again, seemingly thinking.

He frowns like something he thought has bothered him.

He then glares at me. I blink.

"What?"

"...."

"Itachi," I slap his hand away. "What is it?"

He glares more. Slowly, he puts his hand onto his forehead and nose like he did to me. He keeps it there for a few moments before dropping his hand and stares blankly.

I raise my eyebrow. "Uhhh..... sure....."

Itachi frowns. He does the same movement again.

I cock my head. "What are you trying to say?"

Sakura joins my side and watches as Itachi does it again. Sakura smiles and snaps her fingers. "Aha!" She turns to me. "You were glaring, he doesn't want you to glare." she informs me.

I blink. "Oh, sorry, Brother."

Itachi stares at me blankly. He reaches out and pats my head twice before turning on his heel and walking to the back of the store.

Returning a few minutes later, he carries baking oil. He pays for it and leaves the store.

I watch him leave.

"It's sad...." Sakura says sadly. I nod.

"He's not the same." I agree.

"But with the frowning thing, he is." Sakura points out. True, Itachi always wanted people to be happy. I used to be very grumpy and easily irritated. Itachi always reminded me to stop frowning.

"You'll end up looking as happy as father." I mummer.

"What?" Sakura asks, looking over at me from her nails which had previously occupied her attention.

"Itachi said that to me once." I tell her. Sakura doesn't say anything.

* * *

"I'm home!" I call walking into the mansion. Itachi walks around the corner and stares at me. He turns and heads for the stairs.

"Itachi!" Father's voice booms. "Stop and come back."

Itachi stops and turns around. He looks at me for a moment, then walks back up the stairs ignoring our father.

"Where is he?" mom rushes in, hysterically.

"He just went upstairs, mom." I say calmly, trying not to set her off.

She has been extremely fragile the last few years. She has always been very protective and fearing the worst but sense the accident, she has been off the walls.

She visibly calms down. "Fugaku, please be more gentle with Itachi, he just got back, he needs time to adjust..." her voice fades as she heads into the other room where father is no doubly sitting or pacing, angrily.

I head up the stairs and down the hall to Itachi's room. I knock gently.

No answer.

I open the door and walk in. Itachi sits on his bed. His book in his lap.

Itachi has always liked writing. He was also very good at it. Like everything else that he did. Everyone was worried that Itachi won't be able to keep up this year, but I know he'll be fine. Itachi was originally 2 years smarter then his own good.

Itachi started writing this story two days ago. He's been persistent on finishing it. He's almost done with it, I think.

He looks up at me. I walk over and sit next to him. "Can I read it?" I ask, nodding to his book.

Itachi shakes his head. An emotionless stare.

"When it's finished?" I ask. I love reading the brilliants that my brother has created.

"...." Itachi nods slowly, still not speaking.

I start telling Itachi all about my day. He lays the book down and leans back, listening. His eye never leaving my face. No matter how hard I try, I cannot look him in those sad black eyes. Those lonely black eyes. Those scared black eyes.

So I talk and talk. Trying to fill the silence. The entire time, I do wish for Itachi to poke my forehead and tell me that I talk too much then smile and say that he loves it when I talk on and on.

But he doesn't. He just sits and stares.

No matter the amount of wishing, Itachi doesn't move toward me in anyway or even opens his mouth in an attempt to speak. Mother calls us down for dinner.

As we sit around the dinner table, no one says a thing. It's been like this every meal for the last week. Ever sense Itachi returned home. It feels kind of sad. No one has anything to say to him after the years he's been gone. I mean, they seem to have given up already for any hope of getting Itachi to say something.

Mother tries to start up a conversation. "So how was work, Sasuke-kun?" she asks, looking at me sweetly.

"Slow." I mumble. I should try and help her, but well, I've already spoken myself out of my comfort zone when I was upstairs with Itachi. I'm tired of talking. I don't know how Naruto can talk all the time. He seems like if he doesn't speak 15 of the 24 hours in the day, he'll die or something.

**A/N: How was it? I really have high hopes for this story! I really hope people will like this. Please let me know if you want me to continue!!**


	2. Therefore the other half of me

Stockholm Syndrome

**A/N: Woot! People seem interested! Ok, here is the next chapter, please enjoy!**

**Sasuke's POV**

I look at myself in the mirror. The steam from my shower fogs up the mirror. Once again I wipe it away to see myself. My eyes, hair, skin... all of it is the same and yet I feel so different.

I know what it is.....

It's Itachi. He is my brother. There for he is half of me. Half of me is broken and now the other side is showing. My brother and I used to be so close and now every time I see him..... I don't know what to say or do. He's not the same and that's not his fault, but still, it's happening and there isn't a damn thing I can do to stop it!

"Itachi..." I whisper, looking at my reflection.

Itachi and I are near splitting images of each other, yet when I try to see him in me... I drawl a blank. It's almost like, Itachi died that day. Like he can never heal from the emotional and mental trauma he went through. Like he will never be back to the way he was. Like he'll never be fixed.

"Don't try to fix me, Little brother.... I was never broken...." Itachi's unfamiliar voice echo's through my mind.

It's been so long sense I've heard his deep, cool, calm and caring voice. He always knew what to say. Never at a loss of words. Could always back himself up. The opposite of me. I'm always headstrong and saying things I later regret.

Like slapping my brother's hand away earlier. He didn't seem to notice but now that I'm thinking about it, I feel bad.

I shake my head. The thoughts dissolving.

I slap my face a few times before throwing my shirt on and walking out of the bathroom and down the hall to my room. When I walk in, the first thing I notice is a figure at the window of my room.

It was Itachi.

His back to me.

For a few minutes, I sat there and stared at my other half. He turns his head to me slightly. Through his bangs I see his pale face. He looks to have been crying. Not just any tears though, blood. My brother seem to have been crying blood.

I gasp. Itachi turns away to look out the window.

"Itachi!" I exclaim and run up to him, turning him to face me.

His face, flawless. No tears of blood in sight. He didn't wipe them away, I'm sure of it.

He stares slightly confused. After a moment, his expression falls blank.

I let go of him and step back. "Sorry, Itachi... I uh... thought I saw something on your face..." I mumble. It isn't a complete lie... is it?

Itachi cocks his head. He then reaches up and for a moment it looked like he was going to poke my forehead, but he pats my head and walks past me to the door.

He looks at me one last time before shutting my door. I hear him walk to the bathroom, after a few minutes, the door shuts and the shower turns on.

I sigh and walk over to my bed. I sit down and feel something under my butt. I pull it out from under me. I recognize it instantly. It's Itachi's newest book. Did he leave it here?

Temptation overrides my rational thought. I open it up to the front page.

**Stockholm Syndrome**

By: Itachi Uchiha

Then there is a picture of what looks to be a boy with his head in his hands. Crying tears of blood. Beneath him is a large puddle of blood and within the puddle it says,

"_I have no way of knowing if I'll be safe... I will play along for a while and see what happens.... maybe they don't really want to hurt me...."_

I feel my heart pound. What is Stockholm Syndrome? It's a disease, right? You like, start to sympathise with your captors or something like that, right?

I open the book to the first chapter and read diligintly. I read it so fast, I don't understand what it is that I had just read. I take a deep breath and try again.

_Chapter 1: Prologue_

_I've always had a normal life up til now. I mean, there is nothing special about me. So why did they take me? Out of all the people that there that day, why was it me? Was it because of the family I belonged to? The religion I believed in? The way I looked? The people I surrounded myself with? What was it that made them choose me, over everyone else?_

_This is not good! I have no way of knowing if I'll be safe.... I will play along for a while and see what happens.... maybe they don't really want to hurt me..._

_A weird feeling, it is. To be taken away from your family. _

_My mom and dad must be worried sick. They must have forgotten about their earlier dispute and have banded together to try and find me. To try and save me._

_No, that's wrong. Mom and dad will never stop their constant bickering._

_Layla and I, we were not enough for them. Even though they hate one another so much, they could never divorce each other because of my sister and I. Because we are the most important people in their lives, or so they say._

_What am I to do now? They have locked me up in this dark damp place and have not been back sense. According to my watch, that was about 3 hours ago. So, where are they? What do they plan to do with me?_

_Will I ever get out?_

_Will I ever be saved from the pain, _I _inflict upon myself?_

_Why do I try to see the light?_

_Why do I hold onto hopeless wishes of freedom?_

_Am I any less confined here then when I was out there?_

_I huddle close on the cement floor and put my face in my knees. I sit there and cry, cry the night away._

_Someone is shaking me softly. I open my eyes and look up. My neck, back, and legs are stiff from sleeping in the same position all night._

_I look at the person who is shaking me. It is a woman. Long brown hair and grey eyes. __She smiled sweetly at me. She touched my cheek, rubbing it affectionately._

_"You look just like him..." she says softly._

_I stare at her blankly. "Who do I look like?" I ask. Why do I ask her? What do I hope to find out? Knowing this little piece of information will not help me one little bit._

_"My baby." is all she says. She kisses my forehead and walks up the stairs into what would only be mistaken for as a kitchen._

_She leaves behind eggs and bacon. I'm tempted to throw it away and refuse further kindness. I will die and they will never get what they want from me and I'll be free._

_But my stomach disagrees with that plane and I take the bacon and eat it. My first home cooked meal sense... ever...._

I stare at it, dumbfounded. What am I to say or do after reading this? I read over it about 3 more times to get it imprinted into my mind. I finally decide I should get to sleep now and bring it to school with me tomorrow and continue reading it.

I lay it onto my desk and rub my eyes before turning my lamp off and closing my eyes.

"Will I ever be the saved from the pain _I _inflict upon myself?"

I open my eyes, realizing that I said that aloud.

"What does that mean?"

* * *

**Itachi's POV**

Someone shakes me.

"Itachi? Dear, please wake up." mom's voice floats into my head.

I open my eyes.

She stands over me with a small smile on her face. It's still dark out. Dawn is about to arrive and school will start in about 2 hours. I know what mother wants to ask me.

"Do you want to go to school?" she asks me. A now worried look upon her face.

I sit up and stretch, ignoring her question. What is she asking? She is the mother. She should be the one to tell me that I must get ready for school. Besides, this is my last year, I need to be here for it.

I climb to my feet and wave at her, halfheartedly. I walk out and head for Sasuke's room.

Walking in, I see my dear brother sleeping soundlessly. His eyebrows furrow.

"My.... first.... ever..... Itachi..." he mumbles.

I stand there for a moment and stare at him. He's dreaming about me? About my book?

I shake my head and walk over to him. I touch his shoulder gently and give it a little shake.

No response.

I shake him a little harder.

His eyes open and he looks at me, sleepily.

"Itachi?" he grunts, sitting up slowly, rubbing his eyes. "Are you going to school? Is that why your waking me up?"

I cock my head. He gives a confused look. That's cute.

I pat his head and walk out of the room and head for the stairs.

**A/N: How was that? Please let me know what you think! Please rate and review! Have a good day!**


	3. Between Itachi and I

Stockholm Syndrome

**A/N: Woohoo! Quick update! Also, WingedSheep, I promise! (holds up pinkie finger with a smile) Please enjoy everyone!**

**Itachi's POV**

I look at my school day planner and I can't help but wonder what everyone elses classes are. I'm not so sure I really and truly want to face my friends and yet at the same time, I miss them a lot and want to see them. I mean, what would they think? I've been gone for- what?- two years? Now just suddenly returning into their lives? Would they even want me back?

"Itachi," dad's even voice comes from behind me. I turn to look at him. He's all dressed up for work. Mom used to be very uncool with the idea of dad being a police officer but now she's ok, though we all know she worries, still. "I take it, you'll be going to school?"

I nod.

"I guess that means you'll walk with Sasuke?"

I nod again.

Mom is being over-protective. She doesn't seem to notice that Sasuke isn't 5 years old anymore. I think, she's been trying to get through me coming back in an awkward way. I think she is try to substitute the messed up 17 year old me with the innocent 7 year old me. In doing so, she must also substitute the mentally scarred 15 year old Sasuke with the sweet innocent 5 year old Sasuke.

Because she is so protective, she doesn't have enough room in her own body so she stores some of it in dad.

"Itachi doesn't need to walk me to school." Sasuke pouts entering the kitchen. I give him a sideways look. "I'm a big boy. Have been sense I learned how to wipe my own ass."

Dad sighs. "I understand that, Sasuke. But you know your mother, she would sleep a lot better knowing that you two were with one another."

I tilt my head.

Sasuke looks at me and sighs. "Mother must get the serenity that she wants, right?"

_If we want her to stay sane, yes. _I don't say. I shrug instead.

Wait, sane? When was mother ever sane? She's always been off the walls. I mean, not that she belongs in a wacky bin but like she has been paranoid a lot ever sense I was like 10, although now she is like '_I- have- a- secret- I- can't- tell'_ Kind of girl.

Sasuke shrugs back. "Whatever, I guess."

Dad sighs again. "Itachi, Sasuke, please, don't stress your mother out any more than she already is."

Sasuke throws his hands up. "What? I didn't do anything!"

Dad runs a hand through his hair. "Sasuke, it's not about what you did or didn't do. Your mother and I have been stressed out a lot because of Itachi's therapy, the Press, and media. Can we please handle this like a family?" he asks.

Sasuke looks like father smacked him. Dad had said the magic words.

_"...Itachi's therapy...."_

No matter how hard I try to tell myself that I'm ok, I know I'm not. I can't even bring myself to talk to my family. I've worried that if I do, then everything I've bottle in myself from that night will come back.

That's not normal and I know it. So does everyone else in the world. They know I have something to tell but am so afraid to talk that I can't even talk to doctors or even my parents. Not even Sasuke. Sasuke, my beloved little brother. I used to be able to talk to him about anything at any time.

I'm sick and saying "....Itachi's therapy..." is every-ones way of saying it. It hurts a little but their right. I'm sick and I'm not getting better. Why is that? Is it because I'm trying to keep myself safe?

Selfish....

My heart tightens. That's right. I'm selfish. A selfish child. That poor boy.... he will never be avenged because I'm afraid to tell someone that he was.....

Blood everywhere. A dark alley. Someone calling for help.

A scream. My eyes widen. A familiar scream. A sob. A familiar sob. Who was that?

It comes again. Sad, pitiful. Belonging to a child with something to hide. That must mean that the person who is crying is me. I am the child that has something to hide.

What confirmed my thoughts was the wetness on my face, and my brother and dad at my side.

I'm crying? How selfish.... I'm a selfish child.... a monstrous child.....

I need to tell.... I have to let someone know....

Blood everywhere. Begs for mercy.

I through my hands over my face as I feel uncontrollable shacking go through my body.

Selfish....

Selfish....

Selfish!

**Sasuke's POV**

I can't believe what I'm seeing before me. My emotionless brother, now reduced to tears.

My first thought was, 'Am I dreaming?'

Then I realise I'm not when Itachi falls to his knees and let's out a heartbreaking sob. Before I realise it, I'm at his side crying to calm him down and stop the raging tears on my part as well.

Why do I cry at such a time?

Maybe it's because, Itachi is the strongest brother out of the two of us. Now after living with this for two years, he's finally taken in the fact that what he saw is in fact hurting him.

I could be wrong....

Dad's on the phone, calling Itachi's therapist. Mom is rushing down the stairs to see what was happening. The maids and butlers join the scene as well.

How many can say they got to see one of their Master's broke down and started to cry at the wee morning hours.

Mother gathers Itachi into her arms and she starts to whisper to him like she oftendid when one of us was angry and upset. After a few minutes, dad joins her when he gets off the phone with Tsunade, Itachi's therapist.

Tears stream down Itachi's cheeks. His eyes trained on me. Uncharacteristically large. He reaches out toward me, slowly. His sobs come to a halt, abruptly.

He touches my cheek, slowly, gently. His eyes widen more, if that's possible.

He pulls his hand away to look at it, cautiously. Whatever he sees, he doesn't like at all. He throws his hands over his face and starts to sob again, muttering "Selfish..... selfish..... selfish!" under his breath.

* * *

Tsunade arrives about 10 minutes later.

She takes him into the office room and sits with him. She stays there and talks with him for about 20 minutes before stepping out and coming to the living room where my parents and I wait the news.

We all look at her eagerly as she enters the room. She looks tired. She must of had trouble sleeping the night before.

"He's calm as of right now." she announces.

"What happened?" Mom exclaims, climbing to her feet. "What's wrong with him? What happened? Tell me!"

Tsunade blinks like she barely caught what mom said. Dad grabs mom's hand and makes her sit back down next to him.

"Oh... uhm.... well..." Tsunade mumbles like she can't quiet find the words to explain it.

"Tsunade," mom says slowly. "What is wrong with my baby?"

Tsunade sighs. "It was just a panic attack, in a way."

"What's that suppose to mean?" I ask.

Tsunade bites her lip. "Well, you see, he seemed to have created a mental image of that night in his head and applied it to the world around him at the present time and just couldn't hold in his fear. He let out that fear in the only way his body could think to; through his tears." she explains.

"But, Itachi wasn't much of a crier. He was more of a 'suffer in silence' kind of boy." dad says.

Tsunade raises an eyebrow. "I figured that one out on my own." She says sourly. "But, suffering in silence wasn't an option his mental state could take. He felt non-physical pain and he had to release it in some way. He has completely stopped himself from speaking so he got it out with his tears." she explains.

"But," I cut in. "He was saying 'selfish' nearing the end of his breakdown."

Tsunade nods. "I heard it when I walked in. I have a theory on that, I think- no- most mentally unstable patients have a tendency to blame themselves with what happened and want to make such non-physical pain that they feel a real pain. Although, I don't believe Itachi is that mentally broken to go that kind of extreme."

Mom and dad share a look.

"So, what do we do? Itachi wanted to go to school today." mom mumbles.

"It's his final year, I think he wants to share it with his friends." dad adds.

Tsunade nods. "I know that too. I think it would be a good idea to send Itachi to school. He needs to get his education, plus he needs to be around his friends. I believe you told the principal and teachers of his problem in the vocal category?" she says pointedly, eyeing mom and dad slowly.

They nod.

"The Principal and teachers are all aware of Itachi's mental condition." Dad says.

I flinch. I wish dad would refrain from saying 'mental condition'. It makes it seem like Itachi is sick.

I refuse to believe my brother is mentally sick and broken in some way. I want to believe that he is going through some kind of phase and that it'll be over with soon, but I know that it's just wishful thinking.

Itachi is sick, and there is nothing I can do. He wont talk to me, what am I to do?

"So, it's safe for Itachi to go to school today?" mom says unsure. Tsunade nods.

"Yes, but I think one of you should be on standby until he's gotten back into the rhythm of school life again." she says.

Mom and dad seem very uneasy with the idea of sending Itachi to school but they agree to let him go none the less. Itachi disappears and heads upstairs before I can see him again. When I go up to get changed, his door is locked and he isn't willing to open up for me, so I leave him alone and go to change.

Itachi doesn't come down till like 5 minutes before we were to leave for school. Mom and dad come to see us off. Mom bursts into a fit of sorrowful tears. Itachi looks impassive and blank, like this morning never happened. For a moment, I almost forgot that it did. Almost. Not quite forgotten completely.

The walk to school was full of an uncomfortable silence.

I hate uncomfortable silences. Especially if it's between Itachi and I.

**A/N: How was that? Please rate and review! Have a good day!**


	4. Based on a true story

Stockholm Syndrome

**A/N: How was that? Please, do enjoy.**

**Itachi's POV**

We walk up to the front of the school. The people I pass give me strange looks like I'm some kind of alien. Although, everyone welcomes me back nonetheless.

I can't help but notice the looks of confusion and realization. Everyone has seen the news and know that I have something that people not only want but need to hear, and I have yet to reveal what it is. I just can't bring myself to say what must, even if he is never...

No! I must stop thinking about it or we will have a repeat of this morning. I must pretend that nothing ever happened.

I must....

I must....

"Itachi!" I hear a chorus of familiar voices. I look away from my thoughts to see my friends running toward me like a stampede.

If there was someone in the school who was unaware that I was here, they know now.

* * *

**Sasuke's POV**

After a truly beautiful reunion between Itachi and his friends, I leave to get to class. It would be a bad impression to be late on the first day of school.

As soon as I get to my first period class I remember Itachi's book. Good thing I put it into my backpack when I came downstairs this morning before I went into the kitchen and the whole thing with Itachi happened.

I dig aroundinto my bag until I find Itachi's book. I pull it up and skip the Prologue and go straight for chapter Two.

_Chapter 2: This Weekend_

_I make sure that the house is nice and tidy for my dad's business meeting. He is going to have it at our house. Dad was so excited that he took mom and me out to dinner last night, but I wanted to make sure I cleaned the house before dad gets back with his boss._

_Mom walks by and kisses my head. "You are such a good boy, Mickey. Momma loves you so much."_

_I smile at her. "I love you too, momma."_

_She hands me my backpack. "OK, get going to school, Angel."_

_Mom throws her long brown hair up into a bun and kisses my forehead once again. Her large grey eyes flash with happiness when she says "Momma loves you so much."_

_I went missing about 2 years ago. They thought I was dead and now that I'm not, they are so happy._

_People often mistaken me for another boy that went missing. His name was Leo. He was at a party with a bunch children from his school. He and his little sister Layla. Apparently, his parents were frantic and couldn't find him._

_It's been 2 years sense he went missing and people still think that Leo is me. I mean, we are the same age but, I'm not Leo, I'm Mickey. I have been Mickey for the past 14 years of my life._

_I hope that Leo's parents find him eventually, but I try to keep to myself. Mom and dad had to go through the same thing as Leo's parents are going through now. They never gave up hope, though. Now, I'm back with them and we are a family again._

_I can only hope that the same will be for Leo's family._

_"Alright, mom. See you later. Tell dad good luck from me!" I run out of the house and toward my school that's only down the street. I was found in the same town the Leo went missing, my parents and I moved up here shortly after. They told me that they had bad memories of me being gone and wanted to leave that place._

"Sasuke!" Naruto's annoying voice echo's through my head. I blink and look up from Itachi's book.

"God, I have to spend another year with you?" I joke, eager to get back to reading. I look back down to look for my place but Naruto keeps on talking.

"How was your summer? Mine was awesome!" He exclaims. I look at him blankly. "You see..." he goes on and on about how his summer was. I keep my temper under control and not punch Naruto's lights out.

"...then a crab pinched my ass and I fell into the ocean and was almost eaten by sharks." he tells me.

I give him a look. "You are a lying piece of shit, Naruto."

He looks offended. "I am not! It's true! I've got pictures!" he digs around in his bag and pulls out the course of a few pics to prove his point. They seemed to be real.

"Eat your heart out, Sasuke." Naruto says smugly, then gives me a goofy grin.

I roll my eyes. "Fine, Idiot. I believe you."

Naruto jumps onto my desk and strikes the air with his fist. "Suc-cess!!"

I glare at him. "Get off my desk, Dumbass."

He kneels down and gets right into my face. "Say that again, Sasuke, I dare you!"

I glare at him more. "Fine. Get off my desk, Dumbass."

We both glare at each other for a few minutes before Naruto's face suddenly falls. His eyes lower to the top of my desk.

"I'm sorry, man." He mumbles.

I blink. "Sorry? What for, Naruto?"

His eyes and mine connect. For an instant, I knew what he ment. Itachi.

Right as I said it mentally, Naruto says it aloud. "Itachi."

He jumps off my desk and sits down in the desk in front of me. He turns so he's backwards in his seat and he lays his head on his arms. I sigh and look for a bookmark to use for my book.

I rip a small piece of paper from my binder and use that.

I start telling Naruto about Itachi coming back, his continued silence, the book he wrote, the way he acts at home, mom and dad, Tsunade, and even the sad and worrisome event that happened this morning. I told Naruto everything and I felt good afterwards, because in some way, I'm not sure how, I think he understands. In some way.

I get back to reading a little more.

_Finally, I arrive at school. My friend Rex, comes running up to me, like the leech he is. Don't get me wrong, he's an awesome friend, it's just he's always there! I can never find peace and quiet from him. I appreciate it, and at the same time, it annoys me._

_"Hey Mickey! How's it going?" Rex asks slinging his arm around me. I walk up the steps into my school._

_"Just fine." I reply. "My dad got this big meeting with his boss today and he's stoked."_

_Rex's face lights up. "Awesome! Does that mean you can come over today after school?"_

_'No Rex, it means no such thing,' I wanted to say but stop myself. Instead I say, "I can call and ask my mom after school today, deal?" I hold out my pinkie in a child's promise._

_"Deal." Rex agrees, taking my pinkie with his. We shake on it._

_Pulling my finger back, we both go to our homeroom. Ms. Renolds smiles at us as we enter._

_"Good morning Mickey, Rex. How was you boys' weekends?" she asks sweetly. Ms. Renolds was always my favorite teacher that I can remember. She's always so sweet and young. _

_"Good, Ms. Renolds." Rex and I say in unison._

_Ms. Renolds smile's lovingly. "How perfect."_

_"How was your weekend, Ms. Renolds?" I ask curiously. Ms. Renolds is usually very nice, but today she seems twice as nice and... careful? Distracted, maybe?_

_She blinks. "Oh, well... it was fine. Thank you for asking, Mickey. Please, get to your seats, I have an announcement for the class." Her voice lowers and a strange shadow passes over her once brilliant face only moments before._

_Her wavy blond hair dances behind her as she walks to the front of the room, nodding for us to got to our seats._

_Rex scratches the back of his head, messing up his already messy blue hair. Brilliant orange eyes watch me quizzically as he already takes his seat._

_I blink dumbly before numbly walking to my seat. My stomach crunches and I can't help but feel like something has gone wrong. Sitting down slowly, I turn my attention to me timid teacher. Her anxious green eyes run over us, slowly._

_"Class, I want you all to stay calm and listen to all that I say." she starts slowly. "Last night, Richard Melson, was tragically killed."_

_A dark aura falls over the class as a chorus of gasps spread through the ranks of the classmates. _

_"What happened?!" Amy yells out._

_"Who killed him?!" Rex joins._

_Ms. Renolds holds her hands up to stop the flow of more questions. "Wait, and listen."_

_The class falls silent. I don't know how to process what was just said to me. I didn't know Richard very well, but he was still a classmate. He lives- lived- at the orphanage down the street from the park. He was well known for running away from home and being gone for an extended amount of time before someone eventually finds him and sents him back. He is- was - in most of my classes._

_Once, he was gone for nearly 5 years. Now, people try not to worry too much when he disappears. Now, he's dead._

_"From what we can tell, Richard ran away two nights ago andthe police foundhim just outside the old medicine store, in an alley back behind it." she takes a deep breath and tries to calm down. She dabs her eyes with a tissue. "He was rapped and then killed."_

I look up slowly. "Rapped, then killed? How terrible!" I mutter.

"What?" Naruto asks, turning to look back over at me.

I tell him about what I just read. He looks mortified. "Itachi wrote that?! How demented!"

I glare at him. "It's not demented, idiot!"

"What isn't?" came Sakura's voice.

Naruto and I both look at our pink haired friend as she walks into the classroom. She puts her stuff down behind me and walks over to look at us both.

I fill her in on the story and what I had just read.

She makes a face. "That is sort of demented." she mumbles. "Who wrote it?"

"Itachi." Naruto throws in.

Sakura's face darkens. "Itachi wrote that?" she holds her hand out for the book. I can tell, that big brain of hers is turned on and is working. "Let me see that." she orders.

I hand her the book. She sits on my desk and starts reading the prologue then the 2nd chapter. Her face darkening even more.

"Oh my god..." she mumbles when she skips all the way to the back, the final page.

"What?" Naruto asks.

We both look over her shoulder. The page is completely blank except for 5 simple words in the middle of the page. My heart starts to pound.

_Based on a true story..._

**A/N: How was that? Let me know what you think! Please rate and review!**


	5. Note for readers

**Stockholm Syndrome**

**Hey everyone! It's me, WingedLadyCollette! Uhm, I have a poll that's up, please choose. And please enjoy the rest of this story! Thank everyone for reading and review the entire time! Have a great day everyone!**

_~Winged Lady Collette~_


	6. Something to hide

Stockholm Syndrome

**A/N: I'm sorry for the slow update!!! Please, enjoy.**

**Sasuke's POV**

"Oh.... my..." my voice dies. Based on a true story?! Now, I must admit, this is kinda troubling.

"Wow, Sakura..." Naruto mummers. "You're really good at this."

She gives him a look. "That's why I wanted to investigate crimes and solve mysteries when I grow up as a profession, because I'm good at it." she looks at the book a moment longer before handing it back to me. "Come over tonight. Both of you." She looks at Naruto then back to me. "Okay? I think we've got an investigation on our hands."

For a moment, I was no 15 year old brother to a lunatic, I was 7 years old again, playing crime investigation with Naruto and Sakura. We would play around with different stories each time. Missing person, missing cookie from the cookie jar, or even looking at someone funny. We did it all. It always ended with Itachi either being our victim or prime suspect.

He seemed to have loved joining in on our games.

And when crime investigation was around, he was ready and waiting. One time, when we went to lookfor him, he jumped out from behind the couch and scared us all to death.

Something Sakura was good at, making up stories, then building evidence that could mean something. She loved watching those crime investigation t.v shows. That's all she'd watch when she was at my house. It used to be all she could talk about too. No one can deny, when it came to solving mysterious, Sakura was good at it.

"Oh, I saw this crime where this guy got angry and shoved his wife down the stairs and she broke her neck.... oh, there was this other one where this lady killed her husband because she thought that he was cheating on her with her own sister...." I remember hearing Sakura say rapid fire.

"Alright!" Naruto exclaims enthusiastically.

I nod. "Need to ask my mom, but I'm sure she'll let me."

Sakura nods. "Alright, now-"

"Ok, Youthful children alike, welcome to 9th grade!" says an over-enthusiastic teacher as he walks into the room. Black hair in a bowl cut with black eyes and in a green jumpsuit. "I am Might, Gai! Now who might you be, little missy?" he asks, pointing to a girl by the name of TenTen. She looks around, shocked to have been called on.

"TenTen, sir."

"Ah! Ten-Ten," he muses, stretching her name out.

"Uh sir, it's TenTen."

"You seem very youthful today, TenTen!"

"I do?"

"Yes! The fire of youth burns strong in you!"

TenTen makes a face. "Awesome, thanks... I think."

Mr. Might gives her a huge thumbs up and a cheesy smile. TenTen gives a nervous smile back and looks around for someone to help her out. I would, but I frankly don't want the attention on me, so I stay quiet. Seeming like all the other kids were thinking the same thing. All except Naruto.

"Wow! Mr. Bushy-brow, you are so cool!!" Naruto exclaims, jumping out his seat and pumping his fist in the air. I sigh and Sakura smacks her hand against her forehead. She moves to her seat behind me.

"Mr. Might, I am Rock Lee! I am your biggest fan! You are so amazing! Take me as your apprentice! Please, I beg of you! I will work hard to be able to be looked upon by someone so awesome as you, Mr. Might." Lee says, stars twinkling in his eyes. TenTen sighs with relief now that the spot light has moved off her and onto someone else.

The day goes by smoothly. I have a weird ass group of teachers as my own. Seems, Mr. Might is my P.E. teacher. Mr. Hatake is my english. Ms. Anko is my science. Mrs. Sarutobi is my social studies teacher and married to my health teacher, Mr. Sarutobi, who is the son of our principal and apparently is a smoker. Believe me, I have had one hell of a day.

When school finally let out, I went to my locker and shoved all my books in there and shut it. No homework, first day, you see. So, I'm really a good student just, not wanting to carry an empty backpack around, now that's dumb.

"Hey," Sakura comes at of nowhere, her faithful companion Naruto was not even that far behind. "you call your mom yet?"

I shake my head and dig around in my pocket. "Not yet." Pulling it out, I press the button to turn it on. While I wait, I go to look for Itachi.

**Itachi's POV**

That 'beginning of the year brain capacity test' was extremely easy. He just wanted to see what we knew, and apparently, I won't be having a hard time this year, all the beginning of the year tests were easy.

"Itachi," I hear Sasuke's voice behind me. I stop and turn to look at him. "I'm going over to Sakura's house, can you let mom know when you get home? If that's ok..." he mumbles the last part.

I feel rephreshed. He's going over to her house so that they can be investigaters again, like they used to all those years ago.

I nod, giving a slight wave before turning on my heel and heading for my locker.

"Bye!!" Naruto and Sakura call in unison.

"Later, bro." Sasuke calls then their voices fade as they walk in the opposite direction as I.

Kisame and Deidara appear next to me, like they were hiding in the shadows, waiting for me to walk by so that they could pounce. I don't know, something to think about.

"How was your first day back?" Deidara asks. I look at him then point to a group of football players that look at us as we walk by. They have doubtful looks in their eyes like I would crack and kill everyone in the hall. One of the mutters something along the lines of "It's always the silent ones to crack..." before looking away.

"Ignore them." Kisame tuts, putting his blue arm around my shoulders. "Besides, look at it this way, you have us."

"Is that to be reassuring?" Sasori asks, appearing around the same way Deidara and Kisame did. "For him, to say the least?"

Deidara waves him off. "Psh, Danna, Itachi loves us and would never give us up for anyone, right?" he looks at me. I shrug.

_'You have your uses...' _I don't say.

"I'd give you guys up." Pein mutters also materializing with Konan on his arm. I smile a little at that while Deidara and Kisame start to argue saying that Pein loves them more then I do and that they are the only ones that keep him sane.

"True," Pein mutters. "I guess I'll keep you guys until better people come along."

Konan rolls her eyes. "Ha! No one is better than us, baby!"

Kisame points at her. "See, Pein? Your woman has the right idea!"

Pein shrugs while Deidara raises his hand up high at Konan. "Gimme some love!" She high fives him and smiles at Pein.

"Maybe I should dump your ass and go for Dei. He treats me good." she jokes. Pein raises an orange eyebrow with a cocky smile on his face.

"Deidara has nothing on me, my dear, and you'd be a fool to leave a god, like myself, behind." he says smugly. We all used to joke about Pein being god. He's stronger then all of us, physical wise. He never looked it, but he was, and is, a natural born leader. Where he goes, all of us are never too far behind.

I miss my friends. I miss them so much. No one will ever know how badly I wanted to be with them the last 2 years. How badly I wanted to just tell my story so I could get back to them. They are like my personal family. My real family, I have to share. This family, is for me and me alone. No one can claim them as their own. They understand me a lot better then my real family and I can't help but love them like a real family. I was never one to get in trouble before I met them. I was always the polite, quiet, smart boy that did everything right. But, sense I met the best friends in my entire life, I've been more outgoing, more happy.

I never smiled as a child and that worried my parents, but when we moved here I smiled all the time. I wasn't alone anymore. And best of all....

Sasuke was born here.

**Sasuke's POV**

When we walk into Sakura's house, her mother comes fluttering in from the kitchen. "Oh, Sakura, I-" she stops when she sees us. A large smile crosses her face. "Sasuke, Naruto, how are you boys' doing?" she asks.

"Good!" Naruto chirps.

"I'm ok." I say softly.

She gives me a sympathetic look but says nothing, knowing that if she said that she was sorry, it would only upset me. I love that about Sakura's mom. She always knows what to say and when to say it. She always knows when to say nothing at all. Something I wish everyone had.

"Sakura," her mom says, "I'm going out with some old girl friends from high school tonight. You'll be ok, right?" she asks. I know she doesn't suspect us of doing anything inappropriate. Naruto has a girlfriend and I'm gay, so she knows that there are no worries. One more thing to love about Sakura's mom.

"Yes mom," Sakura nods. "We'll be fine."

She smiles and claps her hands together. "Great! You kids have fun! I'm going to go get ready but first I gotta take your dinner out of the oven, Sakura- chan. Naruto, Sasuke, feel free to have some!" she chirps before whisking away back into the kitchen.

Sakura shrugs at us then waves for us to follow her up the stairs to her room. Sakura's house is a lot smaller then my own but very comfy, Naruto lives in a shitty apartment so we never go there.

Sakura's room is all reds, greens and pinks. It's always been like this, but before it was all pink so Naruto and I would have to hiss like vampires before we could enter. It was almost like a physical wound. It's a lot better now, considering the red and green now over-power the pink so we play it cool.

Sakura has her own laptop. It was all red. She pulls it off her desk in the corner of the room and sits down on her bed. Narutoand I sit on both sides of her. Her background is a picture of us. Naruto and I have our arms over her shoulders and she has her hands on our waists and we are all smiling at the camera.

Itachi took the picture. He wanted me to smile so he wore all pink and had his hair up in a high ponytail jumping around pretending to be a cheerleader. I can remember the last time I laughed so hard. He never did it again though, said he emotionally traumatized himself and would never do it again. Too bad, though. I wish I could have got a picture of him.

Blackmail central.

Saukralays her laptop on the bed and walks over to her closet. "Just give me a moment..." she mumbles, digging around in her closet for a few moments. She finally walks back over to us witha book full of what looks like news articals from our daily news paper.

"What's that?" Naruto asks, nodingto the book.

"News articles," Sakura says slowly, crawling back onto the bed between the two of us. "I started collecting them about 10 years ago. My mom used to collect them too so the one furthest back is like somewhere between 20- 27 years ago." she explains.

"There is a five year gap in that, Sakura." I point out.

She nods like she's thought it over. "I know. That's why I'm going to use the Internet to fill the gap. Itachiis trying to tell us something, we just need to figure out what it is." She says slowly, her green eyes burning with determination.

She is right. Itachi is trying to let me in and this is the only way he can allow himself. I need to find out, and do it soon. I believe whatever Itachi saw that night, is watching him and is scaring him. It's holding him and that's why he won't speak. He's not going to hurt everyone dear to him. Even if it caused him to go completely insane in the process.

Itachi would give up everything for his family and friends. I know he would, and sadly enough, his attacker, whither be physical or mental, seems to know it as well.

**A/N: How was it? Let me know. Rate and review! Have a good day!**


	7. On the path

**Stockholm Syndrome**

**A/N: Sorry for the slow update. Thank you for all the reviews!**

_mangachick1- Thank you so very much, I'm glad you like the fic, I'm working really hard on it. Wait no longer!_

_TanyaUchiha- Thank you, I'm glad you like it! ^.^ Deidara and Sasori? Sure, they can be dating if you want. ^.^ I hope what happened to Itachi isn't obvious!_

_Yuuko Uchiha- Stockholm Syndrome is the desease that gave me the idea for the story and the name for Itachi's book. Maybe it has more importance, maybe not. ^.^ Thank you!_

_endel- Thank you and thank you. Don't you worry the next step by our heros are being made now! XD_

_Crimson Aeris- Haha, why wouldn't I update? Really? You like my writing? Awesome! Yay for grammar!_

_Lynii-No no, don't worry about rushing me, sometimes I write these and forget to update it, someone should let me know about stories I don't update in like a week. Now, wait no longer, and enjoy the Uchiha drama-e goodness! XD_

**Sasuke's POV**

Sakura's eyes run over the screen as she jots down notes. After about 2 hours she reads over everything she wrote down. She grabs Itachi's book and reads some more, then she growls in frustration and throws the paper into the garbage can on the other side of the room.

Naruto and I share a look. "10 points." he offers softly.

I look back down at one of Sakura's investigation books. I've been reading it the entire time, not realizing it. It's pretty good. Sakura throws her computer down and lays back with Itachi's book in her hands. She reads quietly to herself.

"I need to get home," I finally say, standing up. My knees crack plesently. Sakura waves, not givnng the book back. I leave without it, Naruto stays behind.

* * *

I close my eyes ans slip into bed. My brother was asleep when I got home. Mom was panicy but a lot better then what she could have been. Itachi was able to relay the massage back to her without talking. He didn't want dinner.

I sit up slowly, something churning in my stomach. I sit up slowly and sneak out of the room into my brother's room. He's asleep. Or so I thought at first glance, but he sits up and looks at me, eyes watered to the brim with unshead tears.

He waves me over and opens his arms. I crawl into them and snuggle to his chest. "Itachi, why are you crying?" I whisper into his neck. "Why are you hurting yourself?"

Itachi buries his face in my hair. He opens his mouth to speak but then stops. He shakes his head and cries softly.

Each tiny sob my brother releases, I feel my heart tighen even more. The longer I sit here the more I am sure that I will find out what happened to my brother, even if it kills me.

* * *

I chew thoughtfully. Itachi's Therepist and her boss, a burly, tough looking man by the name of Nashinoto Kimbo. He looks into Itachi's impassive black eyes.

"How are you feeling, boy? Better then yesterday?" Kimbo asks. Itachi doesn't reply. Only stares at him.

"Itachi," Tsunade says softly. "Mr. Kimbo is talking to you."

Itachi blinks slowly, then nods.

The man smiles evenly, something about him though, I don't like it. Not at all. He pats Itachi's shoulder. "Feel like talking yet, son?" he asks casually, eyes locked onto my older brothers.

Itachi falters slightly, shaking his head. Their eyes locke again and the man smiled evenly again. "Well, when your ready to talk, let us know, we can take care of everything from there." With that he goes to talk to my parents. Tsunade takes Itachi into the office room and starts to give him his hour long therepy or something. Kimbo soon joins the pair in the room to evaluate Itachi and his reaction to see if he can get something out of him.

I swollow my cereal. Today, school was murder. Apparently Sakura read the entire book She liked it but couldn't figure out what Itachi was trying to say, was trying tell her. Although, she did read a passage to me earlier, which makes her believe he really is trying to tell her something and that she is so close to finding out what that is.

_"My heart pounds in my chest, the memories flooding through me like it has a distant destination that was not me. I couldn't help but desire to hold on to that shred of memory. It happened for a reason. That event. It occured so I could bring it to life, so everyone would know. The people that took me, they were to never be trusted. Something was wrong with them. I didn't want to believe it, but now that I think over the chain of events and how I was able to return home to my bed, alive but scarred, I am afraid._

_"I am not who I thought I was. In a moment, life was taken away and it could have been me. I could have died that day, but I didn't. I waond up with a new identity to beat up the old one. I am not Mickey. I am Leo. The one that was taken, the one that went missing, only to return at the most unconvineant of times. My life that I thought I had was a lie, yet, the memories lay there still. Maybe I was Mickey in a past life. Or maybe I wasn't. Still my capters are out there and their watching me._

_"How am I to get away? The are in the last place anyone would look. Until someone finds them, I will live like this, in fear, forever."_

I shiver involentarily. Was Itachi trying to tell me something in that? Maybe Sakura was right, Itachi is using his book to tell us what happened. Sense he can't voice it he must use other means of method. That means, now that we have establish the fact that Itachi is saying something, it's just hiden, we are one step closer to finding out what happened that night.

**Ding-dong!**

I wave the maid off and answer the door myself. Sakura is there. She smiles, Itachi's book and her laptop in hand. "Hey," she says. "My head hurts so I'm here."

I laugh. "Yeah like being here would make your head hurt any less." She shrugs and walks in confidently.

She spins around to look at me. "Where's Itachi?"

I nod to the office. "Therepy." We both flinch, then smile sheepishly. Sakura clickers her tongue and walks to the living room. I follow her and we both sit on the couch. She lays her laptop and Itachi's book over behind her as she turns to me.

"Anything new?"

I shake my head. "No, everything is the same, only Tsunade showed up with her boss today for an evaluation and to see if he can coax something from Itachi."

Sakura purses her lips. "Strange. Bosses usually don't follow their staff in the phyciatrical department. I wonder why he's here."

"My parents pay them big, could it be that?" I suggest.

Sakura shrugs. "Maybe. But still, their motto is 'Customer confidentiality' so why would he be here? That is breaking their motto just by him even showing up."

"Sakura," I start. "he sees her reports or whatever anyway so what's the difference either way?"

Sakura searches my eyes intently. For a moment she looked puzzeled at my hostility, then her features softened. She hugs me tightly. "I'll figure this out, Sasuke, I promise. I'll get you your brother back."

I nuzzel into the side of her neck with my nose. "Thanks, Sakura, for everything. I know it's stressful. Thank you for working so hard."

She tightens her grip. "Don't worry, I love Itachi too. I'll figure this out." We seperate and Sakura offers me a reasurring smile. I can't force myself to return the kind jesture but she doesn't seem to mind.

"Oh, who do we have here?" a voice says. We both look to see Kimbo. He's fixing his tie. He offers a smile to us. Sakura stands and walks over to him, offering a hand.

"Sakura Haruno."

"Ah, Nashinoto Kimbo. Nice to meet you, Ms. Haruno." he shakes her hand.

"Pleasure is all mine, Mr. Kimbo. I'm here for a little investigation. I've personally taken it upon myself to investigate Itachi's case." Sakura tells him, her eyes connected with his. I can tell she is studying his reaction.

He shows none. "Oh my, can you handle it, little lady?" he says cooly.

Sakura nods, slightly irritated. "Of course. My father was Zelkano Haruno. I get my brains from him." she tells the man. He does not falter.

Zelkano Haruno was a once famous detective. He often took Sakura with him to show her the rope and see what she could find out on her own. She usually did really good and got lots of valuable clues and leads. He use to bring her all the time, until he was killed by one of the prime suspects in the Zachoro murder.

Sakura is known foundly by the media. She has even solved 1 or 2 mysteries on her own. People often say do not mess with her brains she may be even better then her dad. The media asked her if she was going to persue this mystery earlier, she had refused to take part, but now she is. It is only a matter of time before they catch wind and will be all over her for her discoveries.

"Ah yes, pardon me, Ms. Haruno," he says apologetically. He turns to us in general. "I must depart now, please excuse me." With that he was gone.

Sakura says the thing on my mind. "Something is up with this guy..."


	8. Sakura's accident

**Stockholm Syndrome**

**A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for waiting! Please enjoy!**

**Sasuke's POV**

Life drags on slowly. It's been 2 months sense Mr. Kimbo started coming over for all of Itachi's therapy sessions. Itachi has not gotten better, in fact, I think he's getting worse. I visit him every night to find him reduced to tears. Mom and dad are worried. Mom has stopped trying to act as if we are a family. She often cries when she is alone. No matter the amount of comfort dad tries to give to her, she can't bring herself to be cheerful. She refuses to see a therapist, saying that it would only tare our family up even more.

"Sweetheart, it's only hurting Itachi and Sasuke more by just weeping..." dad said delicately. Mom shoved him away from her weakly.

"No! I will not go see someone just so they can tell me that I'm hurting my sons by being selfish! My boys need me here for them not in some cheap ass office with someone I don't know telling me how to raise my boys!" She screamed. Her face red with tears.

Dad held her close. "Darling, no one would dare tell you how to raise our boys. They. Are. Fine." he said firmly. "Itachi is just going through a rough patch. He'll bounce back soon and we'll be here for him."

Mom sobbed loudly, clinging to dad's dress shirt. "He's protecting us! My baby-he's protecting us from something- I know it! We gotta save him, Fugaku, we got to. My baby, my baby..."

I shake the memory away. My mom ended up locking herself in her room, not coming down for dinner or to clean the house. Only around midnight did she open the door finally to allow dad in so he could get some sleep. After careful persuasion on his part, might I add.

Sakura mumbles something to herself, her pen scribbling down some notes. She smacks a curious Naruto in the forehead when he tries to read what she's writing, mumbling something along the lines of, "Good detectives need to gather all the evidence before showing it to the public in order to lessen the chance of a flaw in the clues..."

Naruto grumbles to himself and sticks a fry into his mouth. I look around the courtyard ans spot my brother. He is sitting next to his big fishy friend Kisame and his other money grubbing friend Kakuzu. Both of them making my brother look small and delicate. He shakes his head as Deidara says something loud then starts laughing. Sasori silences him with locking lips with the blond boy. Itachi shakes his head again then looks to Hidan who seems to be saying.

Deidara brakes away from Sasori and yells something in an angry tone to the white haired guy.

I look back to my pink and blond haired friends. Both concentrating on different things. Sakura on Itachi's book and her note pad, Naruto on an ant hill. He gives it weird looks. Only to be scared away by the bug freak Shino does he return to us.

"Shino creeps me out," he says notchalently. Sakura murmrers something under her breath. Naruto gives her a look. "What did you call me?"

She glares at him. "A dumbshit, now shut up. I'm working."

"Sakura," Naruto gasps. "you work on that ALL the time. You arn't any closer to finding out what Itachi is trying to say, are you?"

"Naruto!" I snap, afraid that he'll upset the easily angered pinkette and she'll quit the project all together.

Sakura fumes. "Naruto! I am getting closer to the truth, you nimrod!" She growls and jumps up. She spitefully tosses all of her things into her backpack throws it over one shoulder and stomps away toward the bus stop.

I give Naruto a look and follow my pink haired friend with him on my heels, calling out apologies.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan! Please come back, I'm sorry!" Naruto calls.

Sakura keeps on walking, ignoring his calls. She takes out her phone and starts to dial a number-possibly her mother- to do something. Pick her up, maybe?

There is a screech and the strong stench of burning rubber. I look up just in time for Sakura to step out into the street and a car to hit her. My heart plummets in my chest.

"SAKURA!" Naruto and I scream. Surprisingly the car keeps going at an unimaginable speed like nothing happened or that they were being chased by the cops in a high speed chase. Naruto and I dash toward our friend, the smoke and dirt kicked up into the air. Images of my friend all bloody and unmoving flashing through my mind.

More people came running to the scene. Someone was callling 911.

I run onto the street and stop dead. Sakura was laying on the floor, unmoving. There was a tiny pool of blood around her head but she was not smashed and nothing looked broken. Her backpack was ripped open and everything was laying around her like a puddle. Some papers were floating down to the ground.

Sakura moans in pain and starts to sit up, very much alive. I rush over to her and cradle her in my arms. "Sakura, Sakura, are you ok? Speak to me, please!" I feel tears build up.

She moans again but rasps out, "I jumped out of the way... backpack caught... spun me around... possible concussion... nothing broken... nothing hurt... only head..." she slips into silence and takes shaky deep breaths. I feel her pulse to be reassured by the fast but true beat of her heart to signify that she was still living.

Naruto was saying something frantically and more people gathered around, but I couldn't hear them. My mind was racing at the speed of light, a thousand different thoughts run through my mind at once and I'm sure the ringing sound in my ears isn't a good thing. The final though that I think hits me like a ton of bricks.

____

_Someone tried to kill Sakura in cold blood..._

The Paramedics show up and take Sakura away. I'm in a daze, before I know it, I'm in Itachi's arms. He holds me tight and hums softly to me like he used to when I was scared of scary movies but tried to watch them anyway. When I got really scared, he would hold me close and hum loudly into my ears to block out the noise to help me forget.

It would always be my childhood lullabies.

__

_Rock-a-by baby on the tree top,_

_where the wind blows,_

_the cradle will rock,_

_and when the bow breaks,_

_the cradle will fall,_

_and down will come baby,_

__

_cradle and all._

* * *

**Sakura's POV**

People. Voices. Frantic. Bumps. Bouncing into the air. Rumbles. Someone telling me that I need to stay awake until they can tell if I have concussion or not. The loud ringing in my ears play...

Something comes to me. A memory. My life had flashed before my eyes. I thought I was going to die. Maybe I did... maybe I'm dead. That doesn't matter, what matters now is a memory that sticks. That I keep seeing.

_My dad and I walking down the street on our way to a crime scene. I was holding my dad's hand. I look to my left to see an orphanage. A fence that holds the kids in. A boy is on the other side, looking out at me. He only stares, saying nothing. I watch him as I walk by, I turn to look away, my eye being caught on a convenient store._

_There were people getting beat up between two stores a few stores away from the orphanage. Upon spotting the two employees in the stores unaware of what was going on between the stores, I ask my dad why they do nothing._

_"The owners soundproof their walls because of the dump right behind the shops, it can get loud because of all the scavengers looking for something to eat or sell. So, they never know when something is happening... even when it is right outside their walls..."_

Upon hearing that, the memory continues to play in my mind. I slip into a deep sleep. Everything falling silent. The movie theater like world I created for myself, disappeared. Not, without the answer to everything coming to me though. I knew in that instant what had happened to Itachi that night.


	9. Final pieces of the puzzel

**Stockholm Syndrome**

_endel- Thank you. I'm glad you liked the chapter. Yes, Sakura found out most of it, but it's time for a little bit more detective work. I know! When I first heard the lullaby, I was like, aww so cute! But just recently, I was really thinking about the words and I was like, wow, not the greatest thing to be telling your kids at night, you know what I mean? Thanks for the comment! (gives you a cookie)_

_narubby23- Thank you very much. Actually, I'm really glad you asked that. When I started this, I was hoping somone would ask. (gives you a cookie) Hooray for you! Anyway, I actually dreamed of the court scene that you will see in the next chapter. It was so awesome and vivid. I needed to write it, so then I started to, but then I realized I needed to start out slow then lead up to the scene I dreamed. Thank you for asking! I hope you like the scene that started the story! Thanks for the comment!_

_xXMewzikLuverXx- Yes, it's a good thing Sakura-chan is alive! ^.^ Thank you for the comment! (gives you a cookie too!)_

_Lynii- I'm so happy that you like it and am curious! Do you really? I'm glad, I have such a tough time keeping characters the same through the entire story, I think so far I'm doing a good job. Finally, thankies for the comment! (hands you a cookie too!)_

**A/N: Please enjoy!**

**Tsunade's POV**

I stare at my boss. "What did you say?" I ask after a moment of pregnant silence. Mr. Kimbo sighs like I take up too much of his time. I feel a stab of fury but I push it down and force myself to hear him as he starts talking again.

"I _said, _I believe it is time for Itachi Uchiha to be brought back to the Institute for care. He doesn't seem to be getting what he needs at home so he is better off here." Mr. Kimbo drawls out slowly like I'm dumb.

Climbing to my feet I say, "Now, Sir, Itachi _is _doing a whole lot better. For two years we couldn't even get him to look at us, now that he's home, he's looking at people and communicating silently to people to get messages across." I tell him, expecting a happy reaction at the fact that Itachi is so close to talking again. I'm surprised when he narrows his eyes.

"And how long do you think that will be, Ms. Senju? How long until this boy is able to talk and tell the world about that night, hm?" He growls. I stumble back a moment, surprised by his hostility.

"Um... possibly a few days, or weeks, maybe a month or two, but sir, he _is _getting better. He will talk soon." I say hopefully, again. Mr. Kimbo looks impassive.

He sighs like he's dealing with a child. "Tsunade, Itachi going home was just a test trial. You're right, he's showing improvement, but now it is time for him to return to the Institute. " he tells me. I open my mouth to protest once again when he explodes at me. "This is an important case, Tsunade. I want the boy back here, in the next week or there will be consequences." he snarls and is out my door in a matter of seconds. I falter slightly, unable to hold down my surprise. What is with him?

Slowly, I grab my purse and rush out the door, telling my secratary to hold all my meetings and calls until I return. Swiftly, I fly down 3 flights of stairs and into the company parking lot and into my car all within 5 minutes.

* * *

I knock on the Uchiha's door, my heart pounding loudly in my chest. The door finally opens to reveal a young maid. She smiles.

"Hello, Ms. Senju, I'm sorry. Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha are not here at the moment as is Sasuke and Itachi. They have all left for Kohona Hospital there seems to of been an accident." the maid tells me. I clear my throat and swallow dryly.

"OK, thank you." I turn on my heel and jump back into my car and drive to the hospital. My heart pounding loudly in my ears.

Is everyone OK? What could have happened? Did something happen to Itachi? No, they would have called me if he had some kind of mental breakdown... although, rational thought is impossible when someone you love is in danger so there is always the chance. Then again, it could always be one of the other members...

I hit the brakes the light suddenly turns red. The car behind me honks his horn. Some guy calls out profanities. I ignore him and try to calm down my breathing.

Everything will be OK...

Everything will be OK...

Everything will _not _be OK!

Mr. Kimbo wants to take Itachi away from his family. I mean, he must be doing it for the boy's health, but I just can't see it. Itachi should be at home, he is getting better. Why can't Mr. Kimbo see that?

Pain floods through my hands. I blink and release my tight grip on the steering wheel. My hands ache. Something is wrong, so wrong...

* * *

It turns out that a friend of Sasuke and Itachi's was hit by a car and is now in a self induced coma. I fear for Itachi's mental stability.

Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha were devastated and insisted that Itachi needs to be with them. Sasuke and Itachi were nowhere in sight as I talk to Fugaku and Mikoto in the waiting room.

"Why would he take my baby away?" Mikoto sobs. My heart aches and I feel terrible for being the one to tell them what the next corse of action was.

Mr. Kimbo's words echo in my head. _"This was a test trial..."_

_"This was a test trial..."_

_"...it's time for him to return tot he Institute."_

I bit my lip and softly relay the message back to the nearly self-destructive mother and the cold and calculating father. Both hold looks of horror.

"Can't we fight this?" Fugaku asks, voice low and dangerous. "Itachi is doing better, why send him back?"

I sigh. "Yes, he is doing better. Mr. Kimbo wants him back now..."

"But can we fight this?" Fugaku repeats, black eyes burrowing through my brown ones. I could see Itachi in his eyes. He may be a tough father, but he loves his son so much.

I nod. "Yes," I hesitate before continuing in the strongest voice I can muster. "You will need to take the company to court to testify that Itachi should stay at home instead of going back. It's easy for you to say that he is now looking at people and showing some sort of expressions, but it can always be argued with the fact that Therapists know best."

* * *

**Sakura's POV**

I peel my eyes open. All kinds of thoughts swim around in my head. Scenarios run through my head and for a moment I don't understand what case they were for, but then I knew. It was for Itachi's case. And after thinking over all my notes, I realised that I was right, or at least so close to the truth.

I take in my surroundings to finally tell the I am in a hospital. There is a nurse opening the blinds, an early noon light shines through the window. The woman breaths deeply and smiles lightly, then turns to me and gasps.

"Oh! Your finally awake! Wait here, I'll go call your mom and get the doctor." the woman rushes out of the room before I can even open my mouth to speak. I swallow dryly and realise that I'm thirsty. I look around and notice my book bag and some cloths on the table off in the corner. I sit up slowly and pull out the tubes on my arms and out of my nose and mouth. Suddenly, the beating that was suppose to monitor my heart flat lines when I take the wires off.

I numbly put my cloths on and toss the paper dress thing on the floor and grab my backpack. I wobble slightly, but mannage to walk over to the window and pray I'm not up high so I can jump and not get hurt. Fortunetly, I'm on the first floor. Luck was on my side. I loft myself onto the edge and swing my legs around and push off, landing saftly on my feet.

I sway, my head spinning. I ignore it and flatten my skirt slightly and run as fast as my numb legs can carry me when I hear voices calling out my name, I kick it into high gear.

I stop after a few minutes of running. I'm out of breath and the world is spinning and topsy turby. I shake the feeling of nausea away and walk into the nearest building. It's a convenient store. I quickly get a cold water from the freezer section of the store and dig around in my pocket for change as I walk up to the front of the store.

I'm broke. I sigh and am about to lay the bottle back down when someone says, "Take it, pay me later."

I look up and notice it's James. A friend of my dads. Long brown hair and sky blue eyes. He smiles at my flabbergasted look. "James? You work here?"

He nods and smiles that familiar smile. "Yep, you're doing a case, right? Go on, go. Come pay me later. You have no money, right?" he raises a thin eyebrow.

I gap, nodding slowly. He smiles more fatherly. He was real good friends with my dad, they grew up together. "Thank you, James, I promise, I'll pay you back." I rasp, backing up and finally smiling. He waves and looks down at his magazine. I turn to leave then stop and turn back to the man behind the counter. "James, can you tell me where the old orphanage is?"

* * *

I look up from the address on the paper, my heart pounding. I take a swing of my water, it almost half empty. I lay it back into my backpack and walk into the orphanage. If what I need isn't here, then I think this entire case is a dead end. I think I know what happened, I just now need solid proof.

That, and a dead body.


	10. Itachi'll die

Stockholm Syndrome

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the slow update! My computer broke down on me a few days and I was finally able to get my hands on a computer! So be greatful my spoilded little readers! Thank you for everyone who commented. It makes me feel good. :) Please enjoy AND sorry once again for a filler chapter.**

**Sakura's POV**

I move the trash around a little. There must be years and years of trash here. There is no way I can find what I'm looking for here. It's not possible. I sigh and move back, inspecting the mountains of garbage. I take a heasitant breath through my mouth trying to get the knarlly smell of the decaying food and soiled milk from my body. It doesn't work out at all, believe it or not.

Awe man! It would be perfect if I could find what I'm looking for! It would be perfect! All the evidence that I need. The problem is, I should have been up sooner so I could find all this crap. I hope I can get everything I need in time. I don't have my phone and I don't know how reliable the clock stapled to the supermarket to my left is.

I kick some garbage out of my way out of pure frustration. Nothing was meant to come of it but my dad must be up there somewhere. He must want me to get the evidence to save Itachi, because a small blue, white and gray bottle flys a little ways away, the sound of pills rattles inside the small contaner. A huge grin stretches across my face. I pull out some tweesers and pick up the small bottle of headache medicine. I look at the printed receet on the side of the bottle and feel a wave a excitement. It was the bottle from the night. It has the Uchiha payment crest. When Itachi bought it, he used his father's company money.

I grab out a baggie and slip the bottle in, then put it into my backpack. I look around a little more, moving things around looking for more clues. Finally, I spot blood on the ground and when I move a destroyed tv. I see what I really need. Of course, I was scared out of my mind. So when I see it, I scream bloody murder_._

__

_Exactly._

* * *

**Sasuke's POV**

Everyone's cameras were going off rapid fire. The flashing was sure to blind my entire family. Finally we are able to move inside the court house. My mom in her nicest dress, her hair up in a ponytail. My father was in his official 'take no prisoners' suit. While Itachi and I have on nice button up shirts; Itachi's is black and mine is navy blue, and nice black pants.

Father escorts mother in and Itachi and I walk side and side. Tsunade is in there waiting for us. She is in a nice blue dress. She quickly pulls my parents aside and starts whispering softly to them.

I grab Itachi's hand, he looks down at me, his eyes so dark and sad.

"They wont take you." I promise. Itachi only stares at me. "Itachi, you need me. I need you. You'll stay. No one would dare tare us apart again." I continue to say over and over again, more trying to convince myself then him.

Itachi is silent for a moment before he raises his hand, the one I'm not holding, and with his pointer finger and middle finger, he pokes me in the forehead. I jump, confused. Why did he do that? Was I talking too much? Then I remember, this is the first time he's done that sense that day!

Itachi's hand drops and he leans foreward, his lips on my forehead. He stays still for a moment before pulling away. His eyes dark, and extrememly sad. He opens his mouth and I'm sure he's about to speak, but someone suddenly breaks the little barrier that sperated my brother and I from everyone else. Someone speaks.

"The judge is ready for everyone, come on in." The bailiff says. Without looking back to see if we were following, he walks back into the court room. Itachi squeeses my hand and drags me along. My legs feel like rubber. My mind wonders to my pink haired friend, I wonder when she will wake up and be fully consious. She woke a few time during the week. All she would do was mumble something that made no sense. One thing she said that I find myself thinking about a lot.

_"Should have known better then... then to do that... you should have never gone... to the conviniant store..."_

I'm sitting next to Itachi when I break awake from my musings. The bailiff hands a file to the judge before turning to the court full of worried Uchiha members, buisness men, poperazzi and local news reporters. "The case of 74-12 the Uchiha's verses the Kimbo's Mental Care for side custoty of Itachi Uchiha for a breif time is now in secession."

* * *

**Sakura's POV**

I slap the counter. "Thanks James! Now, where is the Uchiha's case being held?" James looks up from the phonebook.

"Up the street at what's it called? Uh, Julian Neeco's court, I think." He chews his bottom lip. "You want me to drive you up there?" I contemplate that for a moment, considering. It's a good thing it's at Mrs. Neeco's court, she's an old friend of my dad's. She'll listen. With that made up, I then deside the run up there can give me enough time to digest this and get the story straight in my mind.

"No, I should run. It gives me time to calm down and get the story straight. Hey, can I grab another bottle of water? I'll pay you back." I ask reaching for another bottle. James nods.

"Yes, yes, go! I think the case is in seceion. Go!" James points to the door.

I nod and run out, calling back a thank you before raceing down the street. I only made it through the first few bullet points before I get to the courthouse. The only reason this has to be done now, is it is a matter of life and death. I have reason to beleive that if Itachi goes back to the Istitute, he'll die.

No litteraly. Someone will kill him. And I know who.

* * *

I smile at the guard. "Thank you. You won't regret this." he nods opening the door.

"Yeah yeah, well if we get in trouble, you're taking the blame." he says. I laugh half heartedly.

"If anything, tell them, I hit you." I rush into the room.

"As a final note," Mr. Kimbo was saying. "Itachi returning to his home was a test trial all along. His parent were made aware of this when we sent him home. Itachi is not fully ready to be back in the whole home inviroment."

"Bull!" I yell, running down the lane toward the front. Everyone was turning to look, people were turning and gasping. Itachi and Sasuke both jump up. I throw my arms around them both.

"You're alive!" Sasuke breath, "You're okay! Oh we were so worried that you were dead. Thank you, god. Sakura, are you okay?" I nod.

"Yes, yes, Sasuke, I'm okay." I pull away and look to the eldest of the two brothers. His eyes were large and relieved. "Itachi, I did it. I think I found out exactly what happened that night. I can save you." I breath.

Itachi freezes, then nods stonely. I look at the judge who was hollering for order in the court room.

"Ms. Haruno," Judge Julian Neeco finally says in a soft voice. Waving off her bailiff when he asked if I should be removed. "Sweetheart, maybe you should lie down. You are looking extrememly pale. Maybe-"

I cut her off abruptly. "No ma'am. You cannot allow Itachi to go with Mr. Kimbo." I stare her right in the eye. Her crimson eyes stare back. Finally she sighs.

"And why is that, Ms. Haruno?"

"Because," I take a deep breath, "I have reasons to beleieve that if Itachi goes back to the Institution, Mr. Kimbo will kill him."

**A/N: Okay, so the whole case will be in the next chapter. So like I said, my computer is broken and I don't know when it will be fixed. Please be patient and make me a happy author by reading and commenting. Have a good day.**


	11. Trial

Stockholm Syndrome

_Narubby23-You were so patient! Thank you for the comment! :D It made me a happy author! Please enjoy!_

_Hikaru2008- Yes it broke. I was unable to get on the Internet for almost 2 weeks. Now I know if it happens again, I will die. Wow, anxious reader! :D Yay, I'm glad you like it! Thank you for commenting, I am happy now! Please enjoy!_

_Mangachick1- Thank you. I like the way I think too! :D Thanks for the comment! They are my chocolate! :D Please enjoy!_

_xXMewzikLuverXx- Really? You like them? Thanks! :D I enjoyed the comment and hope that you enjoy this chapter just as much as the other one! XD_

**Sasuke's POV**

When Sakura had said that, the entire room burst out into a thousands voices. Everyone trying to be heard at once. My mind was whirling but unlike everyone else- aside from Itachi- my mouth was sealed.

Sakura looks around trying to quiet everyone down. "Hey."

Everyone keeps talking, the judge orders for silence.

"Hey!" Sakura yells, her eyes narrowed. "Hey! Hey! HEY! _Everyone, shut up!_"

The room falls silent. Now no one wants to speak. Sakura rolls her eyes. "Can I continue, now?"

"Perposterous!" Mr. Kimbo snaps, standing up. "How do you get off saying things like that?"

Sakura spins around in that way she used to when we were kids- when Naruto asked her a dumb question she would spin around and thunk him on the head- so when she spins around the same way I almost thought she would walk over and thunk Mr. Kimbo in the head and call him a doofus like she did to Naruto all those years ago.

"How? _How? _I get off saying things like that because it is common sense in the world to know that Uchiha are beautiful. Period. There is no if, ands, or buts. Itachi is- believe it or not, an Uchiha so getting-" she stops. "um, later. First the evidence. I have a question for the court; can someone tell me what exactly _is _Stockholm Syndrome?"

"Now you just wait a damn minute," Mr. Kimbo snaps, "Why are you part of this case? This has _nothing _to do with you!"

"Actually," Sakura grinds out, "Itachi is my friend. Therefore, when something happens to him, something so _bad _that he _stops talking altogether. _It is one hundred percent my concern. My dad and Fugaku Uchiha were friends in high school and then in college all the way up to the day that he died. Now, can anyone tell me what Stockholm Syndrome is?"

"It's when someone starts to sympathise with someone else that maybe like kidnapped them or something, right?" I ask, looking around. Mom takes my hand and squeezes it. Her face stained with tears. Sakura nods.

"Exactly. Now why would Itachi write a story about Stockholm Syndrome unless he was trying to tell us something, right?" No one responds. "Well, at the back of the book, Itachi wrote that it is based on a true story, so I thought of all the possibilities. But the only logical one I could think of was that Itachi wrote it to tell his story without telling his story. With that in mind, I started to investigate. Sasuke, give us a brief description of the story." Sakura's emerald green eyes turn to me. Her voice strong and sure of herself.

I blink. How in the world did she know that I finished reading the book? How in the world does she do that?

I open my mouth when I realize that everyone is staring at me, waiting for me to talk. "Uhh, it's about a boy named, um, Leo who was kidnapped at a best friends birthday party, he later took on his capters' dead son Mickey's persona. Um, he starts to investigate this murder of a boy in his class and that helps him get over his Stockholm Syndrome... I don't know what else to say..." I mumble looking around nervously. Blood in my cheeks.

Sakura waves her hand dismissively. "No, no, Sasuke, that's enough. I can work with just that and add my own summary when need be. OK, so Stockholm Syndrome. Tsunade, you said that Itachi didn't talk or look at anyone when they talked all the while he was in the Institute, correct?"

Everyone turns and looks to the blond woman who was sitting next to Itachi at the opposite side of the chair's then me. It was me, my mom, dad, Itachi then Tsunade.

Tsunade nods. "Yes, Itachi showed 0 willingness to speak or listen to anyone. Only when this test trial became an option did he silently agree to go home and by then he started showing impressive improvements."

Sakura nods. "I see, now why in the world would Kimbo want to bring Itachi back to the Institute if he was doing so well at home? And if I'm not mistaken but hasn't Itachi been closing back up since it was suggested that he go back, Ms. Senju?"

I look over at Tsunade as she opens her mouth, nothing comes out for a moment before she finally mummers, "Well... yes, that is true." she says like she is just realizing it herself- maybe she is. But what is Sakura getting at here? Is Mr. Kimbo involved in this somehow? Is that what Sakura is trying to get at...?

"In the story there is a boy that is murdered after being raped," Sakura continues, eyes glued to the judge and the jury. "The boy was an orphan and I found out that at the orphanage down by some old medicine mart has a boy named Richard Melson. This boy is frequently escaping and running off for weeks, months and even years, but he was always found and sent back."

My eyes widen.

_'The class falls silent. I don't know how to process what was just said to me. I didn't know Richard very well, but he was still a classmate. He lives- lived- at the orphanage down the street from the park. He was well known for running away from home and being gone for an extended amount of time before someone eventually finds him and sends him back. He is- was - in most of my classes.'_

Just like Itachi had said in his book...

_'"From what we can tell, Richard ran away two nights ago and the police found him just outside the old medicine store, in an alley back behind it." she takes a deep breath and tries to calm down. She dabs her eyes with a tissue. "He was rapped and then killed."'_

"See now, I did some investigating on the orphanage down by our well known _Medi-Mart _convenient store. There is a boy identical to the one in the story named Josh Abel. See now, so far he has been missing for a little over 2 years. And I have proof to say that Josh Abel was outside the Medi-Mart back behind the building in the alley where he was raped and murdered. All the while Itachi was there, not only did he witness this happen to the boy but he left his own evidence behind." Sakura says coldly, pulling out a bag with some little bottle in it. She gives it to the judge who looks at it curiously.

She puts it on a little projector so everyone could see it.

"That's our family crest," Fugaku says deeply, eyes narrowed.

"Yes, " Sakura says, "Before Itachi went into the store he heard the noise of the boy struggling that the shop owners and employees couldn't because the walls are noise proof. The perfect place. So he went in and purches' the medicine with his father's company's money so there would be proof it was his- then he confronted the killer."

The room is silent. Mom is sobbing quietly into dad's shoulder. I look over to my silent elder brother, his eyes closed and his face is calm but I notice the almost unnoticeable shake of the body. He's quivering... he's afraid.

"Now, I know my average criminal and the ol' "I'll kill your family if you talk" but no- I've seen people who were dumb enough to go up against Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha on threats over their lives and they don't so much as flinch anymore. So he must have known this because, I believe he threatened someone else's life that Itachi would worry about..." She walks toward my brother slowly, kneeling next to him. Itachi opens his eyes, possibly realising that it was silent.

"Itachi," Sakura whispers, "did he threaten to kill Sasuke if you talked?"

I sputter, eyes wide. Threaten me? Why the hell would he...?

Itachi blinks back tears, I see. He nods slowly, "..."

The whole room fills with gasps and light mummers. Mom sobs harder and hugs me close. My whole body feels cold.

Sakura swallows loudly, and everyone shuts up to listen. The news reporters are probably having a field day behind me. "Another question, the man did not just threaten you... did he?" Sakura asks. Itachi lowers his head as if in shame like something was all his fault. Sakura tries again, "Ita, did... did the killer... did he rape you?"

Mom falls completely silent and if anyone was talking before- they were silent now. Dad looks like he's shaking with fury.

Slowly- but surely- Itachi nods, wiping tears from his cheeks quickly.

"Oh my god!" Mom sobs loudly, her voice thick with guilt and grief. "My baby! Oh my angel! Why?"

Dad pulls her to him and whispers softly to her, eyes narrowed and cold and most of all, out to kill. Mom clings to dad sobbing loudly. After a few minutes, she quiets down, all the while, everything has been silent as Sakura stares at Itachi intensely.

"Final question, Itachi," she says ruthlessly, "The murderer of Abel, the one who threaten you and the one that raped you... it was Mr. Nashinoto Kimbo... wasn't it?"

Itachi burries his face in his hands and lets out a loud shaky breath- yes it was that silent- and for a moment, I thought that he had fallen asleep or something but then I hear a noise. Something that for a moment was unfamiliar. Everyone seemed to lean in to hear it.

"What?" Sakura mumbles, eyes wide.

"It was Kimbo," Itachi mumbles, his voice weak and creakily. "Kimbo murdered the boy, and threatened to murder my little brother."

So there you have it. Itachi spoke for the first time sense the day of the accident. Strangely enough, I was calm and collected while a split second later, the entire room is filled with all kinds of voices. That is- until there was a-

**BANG!**

**A/N: O.O Oh nos! What has happened? Sorry for the slow update! My computer is fixed now! Thanks to my daddy! :D This wasn't exactly how I dreamed it, but it is close. How was it? I hope it all made sense. Let me know! Rate and review! Have a good day...**


	12. Each other's other half now complete

Stockholm Syndrome

_Narubby23- Sorry, I have no idea what you are thinking about. I cannot read minds, but it would be extremely cool if I could. I am a suspenseful person! You like it, I know. :D I updated now! Sorry for the wait! Thanks for the comment!_

_Lynii- Yay! I am continuing now! Thanks for the comment!_

_xXMewzikLuverXx- Yes, someone was shot, but you're gonna have to read to find out who! :D Sorry for the wait! Please enjoy and thanks for the comment!_

_Hikaru2008- I know, me too! Yeah! Sorry for the wait! Thanks for the comment!_

_Aniya and Lizzia- You do? Yay! I know, so many people bash Sakura and she is one of my favorite characters so i had to make her hardcore in this one. I'm not sure yet, do y'all want a sequel? Let me know! Thanks for the comment!_

I look down to see a hole in my chest with blood decorating my nice shirt. Strangely enough, it doesn't hurt, it just makes me feel cold. There is screaming, I can tell, although it's at the edge of my hearing. So soft and far away yet strong and scared. My eyes stay on the whole in wonderment, what has just happened? Why am I bleeding? Did something happen? What was that loud bang? Oh wait, that bang... it sounded like a... like a gun shot. Yes, that's it, it's a gun shot. So, who got shot?

In the daze of thought, the answer comes to me. _I was shot. _

That blood on my shirt... it's mine. I was shot... I'm bleeding... and... I'm dying. Oh wow. I'm dying all because the truth came out... how harsh can life be? Harsh enough to kill, I suppose.

All the while I was thinking of that, Itachi had rushed to my side, his hand covering the hole in my chest. OK, with his hand there- applying pressure, I could now feel the pain. Oh boy did it _hurt. _You know when people say that a paper cut is the worst kind of pain because it stings and it burns? Well, clearly they have never been _shot _before, because that burns and makes you bleed more than a typical paper cut. A _lot more. _So why am I not panicking like everyone else in the room, you ask?

I have no idea. You'd think I would be freaking out- saying that I was gonna die- but like I said before, I feel strangely calm for being someone who was just shot. Dad must be proud.

Which leaves me to a question that should make perfect sense and yet I'm so confused. Where did dad go? My eyes bee line through the crowd looking for my own father. Everyone is moving around at once it's hard for my eyes to stick on to one person for too long. Still no one comes to mind as familiar.

Finally, I give up and look to my older brother who has tears racing down his face as he stares at me. His mouth is open slightly, lower lip quivering, eyes wide and his skin is unbelievably pale.

"Anaki?" I mumble touching a piece of his bangs. "What's with that look? Are you afraid of somethin'? Don't worry, it don't hurt too much," I tell him looking down to where his bloody hand is covering my wound. His lips press together tightly.

"Sasuke..." he rasps eyes wide with pain and agony- and possibly shame?- maybe pity? "I-I shouldn't have spoken... you would be OK if I hadn't..." he bows his head onto my chest, "I'm so sorry, little brother... I'm sorry."

I touch his cheek, my hand trembling more then I would have expected- I'm kinda ashamed. Dad would be if he saw how weak I look right now. Oh man, give me a second to steady my movements.

**Bang! Bang-Bang!**

I jump and my nii-san flinches eyes flickering away- to my right. I crane my neck slowly to see what he was looking at. Mr. Kimbo falling to the floor with a gun in his hand, aimed at my anaki and I. Dad is kneeled in front of us, covered by the chairs, his gun poised in his hand as well as the bailiff who was hiding behind the judges desk, the judge is gone from sight- I notice.

"Father," Itachi whispers, eyes wide, "Sasuke..."

Dad turns toward us and shoves his gun into his holster on his side and runs over to us. He moves Itachi's hand and looks at the wound in my chest. "Shit! Someone call an ambulance!" he calls before looking back at my wound. My eyes trail to my older brother. His eyes were closed with water decorating his long lashes.

"Sasuke," Dad says slowly, "I need you to stay awake. Tell me what you did in school today." he presses onto my chest and on my back simotantiously.

I gasp and close my eyes, pain shooting through my spine. "I-I had homeroom with the wackiest teacher alive. He told me I was lacking the Power of Youth that morning. Then I went to some of my other classes that nothing really-," I flinch at the added pressure, but force myself to continue noticing that my dad was listening, "-happened. But in health our smoking teacher told us not to ever smoke and told us that it was bad and a nasty habit to get out of. I got a social studies test back- 100%. Then we listening to Ms. Anko curse out the projector during science because it wouldn't work. Then, I went home."

Dad stares at me like he's seeing me for the first time. "Sasuke..."

All the while I was talking, I notice that my vision is tunneled and my voice is getting sluggish. Is this what it's like to be dying?

"Dad," I whisper, "I'm sorry."

Dad frowns- I think, "For what, Sasuke?"

"For not listening to you for when you said that I needed to stay awake..." I mumble looking all feeling in my head, arms, stomach and neck. My vision turns black and everything falls silent before I could hear his response.

* * *

"...no! I told you to stop blaming yourself!"

"Fugaku, don't yell at him! Itachi, it was not your fault that Sasuke..."

"I wish I was stronger... my little brother is my responsibility. I'm suppose to..."

"Please wake up, you stuck up bastard. Sakura and I need you to..."

I-I'm so sorry Sasuke... If I had known, I wouldn't of made Itachi speak in front of..."

"Please...little brother... wake up..."

I open my eyes all these voices running through my head. Dad, mom, Itachi, Naruto, Sakura then Itachi again. It's only fragments of what they were saying, I notice. But they were talking to me nonetheless and I can open my eyes, that means that I am alive and have made it to the hospital.

_I am alive._

A warm relief washes over me just like the words did. I look around slowly and in the corner is a set of 3 chairs and mom and dad are there, sleeping, it seems. My eyes continue to travel the room until I get to the left side of my bed where my brother sits in, resting his head on his arms with his eyes closed on the bed.

I lift and hand and am pleased to see it holding steady. I lay it on my brother's head and run my fingers through his hair like I used to a long time ago when I woke up from a nightmare and needed to be by his side, but not necessary waking him up.

Itachi's hair is really soft, I muse. Slowly, I drag my fingers from scalp to tips, making sure to skip over his hair tie as to see he gets a little anal when having to redo his hair so many times.

Slowly, that head rises and Itachi's night black eyes stare at me. "... Sasuke..."

I offer a light smile. "Hey, Itachi, about time you spoke."

Itachi clamps his eyes shut, his eyelashes wet again. He shakes his head. "If I had kept quiet- you wouldn't be hurt."

I touch his cheek and he slowly looks up at me. "'Tachi, I would rather be in the hospital and in extreme pain then loosing you forever. Remember what everyone used to say? We are one entire person. Each the others half. I need you, this half has been really lonely without you, nii-san."

Itachi stares at me with sad eyes then shakes his head again, a tiny smile on his face. "You are so corny."

"Hey," I laugh, "it made you smile. My mission is complete." Itachi sits up and kisses my forehead.

"I love you, Sasuke. I'll do anything to protect you."

"I love you too, Itachi. And likewise. Anaki, I'll take a bullet for you."

Itachi laughs and wraps his arms around me, I try to sit up and little and hug him back. "I missed you, Itachi. Thank you for protecting me, even when it could have coast you your life."

Itachi pulls me closer and buries his face in my hair. My face buried in his shoulder.

"Sasuke, you are my life."

"Now who's corny, nii-san?"

"We are. Remember? We are the same person."

"Yeah, we are."

**A/N: Yay! Itachi and Sasuke are together again! Yesh! Don't worry it's not the end yet. Close, but not yet! Keep reading! Quick question, when I finish this, should I make a sequel? Let me know! Rate and review! Have a good day!**


	13. The Truth

Stockholm Syndrome

**Sasuke's POV**

Mom clenches my hand but moves out of the way when Sakura and Naruto stampede into the room at about 10 miles an hour and leap onto my bed throwing their arms around my neck in a simultaneous twin hug.

"Sasuke!" both squeal.

I wrap my arms around them both. "Hey guys, plan on killing me yourselves? This is a good vice grip." I choke out flinching at their combined strength. Both loosen their grips and sit back, still on my hospital bed.

"Sorry, man," Naruto mumbles. "How are you doing? When Sakura called and told me what happened I ran all the way up to the hospital myself to see how you were." Naruto tells me.

I bink, "Naruto, that's like 7 miles from your house."

Sakura nods patting my shoulder. "I know, that's what I said. The moron came running in at light speed like his ass was on fire and insisted on seeing how you were while drenched in sweat and panting like a dog." I laugh and wrap my arm around my best friends necks.

"Aww, my idiots care." I joke.

"Hey!" Naruto and Sakura exclaim.

"I'm not an idiot," Sakura mumbles. I laugh and ruffle both of their hair. Sakura swats my hand away while Naruto hugs me back, embracing it. He was always like that. My loyal blond Afro haired friend Naruto. He was my first friend when I moved in. He lived down the street from our first house here.

* * *

It was almost a week before I was let out of the hospital. They gave me a bill of good health. I was finally set free after a week of pure and utter hell! I was forced to sit my butt for the entire time but the last two days. My chest was still healing and straining too much would reopen my wounds. So even thought I'm heading home I still need to go and see a doctor if my wounds reopen and if I am feeling extremely raw on that wound for it might be infected.

Still, I need a lot of rest, and if I thought that mother was a protective mother hen before the truth was out about Itachi and me getting shot, she is like super mother hen now. We have not once talked about Itachi or the insident for the past week, yet it still lingers over our heads.

Itachi has been speaking a lot more, not nearly as much as he used to, but a tremendous improvement to what he used to be- you know, saying nothing at all. But now, now that we are at home and in our own family privacy I'm sure that we will be talking about it. I can tell mom, dad and Itachi have been dreading it just as much as I have am. So when we all sit around for lunch there is a thick awkward silence that floats over us.

"Mother, father," Itachi says softly. "I know you want to say something, so please just come out and say it..." His dark hair covers his face.

Mom takes his hand and rubs her thumb over the back of his hand. "Itachi, why didn't you tell us about this... about what happened to you. I mean," she uses her other hand to cover her mouth to hold back a sob. "But papa and I could of help. Why didn't you come to us?"

Itachi looks at mom, then dad. "I... didn't because... because... Sasuke... I couldn't risk him..." Itachi looks at me for only a moment before his face is hidden in his hair again. He seem ashamed, like he felt bad about something.

"I'm okay," I whisper. "I'm fine, because you were protecting me Aniki."

Itachi looks over at me and for a moment all we could do was stare at one another. But then, Itachi smiles. So small so light- a ghost of a smile- but a smile none the less. And I love it.

I love my brother.

* * *

I knock lightly on the door and wait for the OK to come in.

"Enter," Itachi calls through the thick wood. I open the door to see my brother sitting on his bed with a new notebook in his hand and a pencil in the other.

I grin, closing the door behind me. "Another one? What is that one? Like the 10th one since you got here?" I walk around and sit down on the bed in front of my older brother.

Itachi looks at me skeptically for a moment before looking back to his book and scribbling down more of his brilliance. I watch his large black eyes read over what he had just written again before closing it neatly and putting it on his nightstand right next to his bed and looks over at me with a knowing look. "7th book actually, and I'll remember that when you ask to read it."

I hold my hands up in defeat. "You win. No more comments."

Itachi's eyes flicker to my chest, his eyes instantly turn sad. "How is your chest feeling?"

"Boney," I joke. Itachi cracks a light smile. "Serious though, it feels fine, I saw the doctor yesterday before you went to bed and she said that I was going to be fine and that there was nothing to worry about. I healed up brilliantly. She says I am good as new, and you know what? I feel great."

Itachi looks into my eyes, seeing whether I am lying or not. He must of dictated that I told the truth for he nods. "Good."

I pull up my shirt to reveal my chest and the discolored scar on my chest just below my lungs, barely missing it. Itachi leans forward and runs the tip of his long pointer finger over the healing wound. My skin gets goosebumps and I blush. Fortunately, Itachi is too engrossed in checking the wound to notice either.

I'm gay. I know that. I've know for quite some time. Sakura and Naruto know it, Sakura's mom knows it, my parents know it and so does my brother. What none of them know was that I'm not gay for some random boy at my school or at my work. I'm gay for the only boy that made the biggest impact on my life, that I couldn't possibly live without.

My Aniki.

When he was unable to tell me anything, I felt so bad. I wanted him to be able to talk to me and tell me what is wrong and how I can help him so it really messed me up when he was so close to talking and then started to recede back into himself.

Does he know what he's doing to me everytime he touches me? Everytime he looks at me? Everytime he hugs me or wrestles with me? When he confids in me things he doesn't tell anyone? When he sneaks into my room at night to let me know that he was going out to see a friend and wants me to cover for him with dad? How about when I'm upset and don't feel like talking and he pulls me away from everyone and holds me in his arms and just sits there whispering random things into my ear until I'm ready to talk?

How can he not notice?

My brother is ungodly intelligent but sometimes he is completely oblivious. I mean it could be as clear as day and he wouldn't notice it, but when you try to hide it _that's _when he notices something is off and moves in to figure it out. Because if there is one thing that my brother hates with all fiber of his being- it's lying and being a douche. My aniki can be the sweetest person in the world, or he can make the sturdious, cold blooded man in the world sob uncontrollably.

Today is the day, I deside. I'm going to tell my handsome brother that I'm in love with him.

Incest.

What does he think about that?

"Itachi," I say lightly. Itachi sits back and looks me in the eye to show he's listening, his hand leaving my body but the warmth remains. I drop my shirt. "What do you think about incest?"

My aniki raises his thin black eyebrow. "What do you mean? Like do I support it or not?" he asks, eyes full of curiosity. I nod.

"Yeah."

"Well," Itachi sighs, putting his hands behind his head. "I don't mind, really. I mean, if you love someone, who cares if they are your family or not? If you love them then you should be with them- if they love you back." He adds the last part quickly. His eyes dart from the ceiling to me. "Why do you ask, otouto?"

I can't lie to you, aniki.

"I love you, Itachi," I say slowly.

"I love you too Sa-" he stops, staring at me with widening eyes. "Oh... wow."

**A/N: That's what I would say if my brother told me that he loved me. well, sorry for the late update! Let me know what you think! Rate, review and have a good day!**


	14. One day at a time

Stockholm Syndrom

**A/N: Long time no update. Sorry about that, and this is short but I felt I owe it to you guys to give you something. It's a little short but enjoy anyway.**

I watch Itachi's eyes study me, trying to see something. A lie? Is he waiting for me to say that I was just kidding and hit him in the shoulder and tell him that I got him? Cause that's not gonna happen.

For a while we sat and stared at each other in silence. Itachi's eyes studying my own. His eyebrow twitches slightly like it usually does when he is either concentrating on something or is very confused. It's hard to tell which one it is at the moment, but I'm leaning more toward the very confused one.

Finally, my brother asks, "Are you kidding?"

I look at him innocently, "About what? What are you thinking of?"

"Didn't you say that-" Itachi stops, brows kniting together. I stop myself from laughing at the aborably cute, confused face that my elder brother adoned. He looks like he wants to ask and yet at the same time would rather not be embarrested in front of me. "Uhhh..." Itachi looks away, his face in full concentration mode.

"Aniki, I'm kidding. I know what you're talking about. And no, I'm not pulling your leg. I love you." I tell him. "As more then a brother."

**Somewhere off in the world:**

A homophobe just killed themself.

**Back with Sasuke and Itachi:**

Itachi's face grows unreadable. He stands up and walks around his room, muttering under his breath about what to do at a time like this and wondering if he's dreaming.

I scoot off the bed and stand up, watching my brother. He didn't seem to notice that I moved. "You're not dreaming." I tell him. My brother doesn't seem to hear me. Was his hesitance a _good _or a _bad _thing? I'm leaning more toward bad but my brother is the second most unpredictable person in the world. The first is Naruto. _Hands down._

"Why me?" Itachi finally asks, turning to look at me. "Out of everyone in the world, Sasuke, why me?"

I step closer to my brother, happy to see that he isn't hesitant about me being closer to him. "Because, Itachi, you're so nice to me, and you love me and you are always there for me. You lost 2 years of your life in silence because you loved me more then you cared about your own well being."

My brother's thin eyebrows furrow together. "Sasuke... is it because I was quiet for you? Anyone would do that for someone that they love. I understand if you feel like you need to pay me back for that but there really isn't a reason to-"

"Itachi," I laugh, somehow finding this funny. "I loved you long before this_, trust me_. I'm just letting you know now because these last few months seem to of really knocked something loose in my head. I mean, isn't it stupid of me to think not just my brother, but my straight brother would love me more then just a brother." I laugh thickly.

"Sasuke... don't cry..."

I blink dumbly, noticeing the tears trailing down of my cheeks. When did I start to cry? Oh my god, this is so totally lame of me. I just want to crawl into a hole and die.

Hurriedly, I brush the tears away, trying to hide my embarressment and failing while doing so. "Oh my god, look at me. Wow, I'm a real wuss, huh, Itachi? I can't believe I got dust in my eye! Can you believ-"

My brother pulls me to his chest. He holds me tightly and runs his long fingers through my scalp slowly. "Don't cry, Sasuke," he whispers, "Just because I'm not sure what I think about this, doesn't mean I love you any less. Shhh... don't cry."

I blink away some tears and snuggle a little into my brother's chest. "Itachi..." I breath, closing my eyes.

"Give me some time." Itachi says finally. I look up at him questionally, pulling back slightly. Itachi continues, "If your crush hasn't gone away in a few days, then... I don't know. We'll do something about it. Who knows. But, don't treat me any differnet and I wont for you." He smiles lightly and hugs me tighter.

I want to tell him that this crush was not going to go away, that it was going to stay, but then again I don't want to rush my brother nor do I want to ruin that fact that he's taking a few days to think this over. Plus, he wants us to be the same all the while. That has got to be a good sign, right?

* * *

Itachi pulls the car out of the driveway. Sakura sits in the passenger seat while Naruto and I sit in the back. We all buckle our seatbelts as I ask, "So Sakura, what said you got to sit up front again? Refresh my memory."

She looks back at me and grins like a sneaky cat. "I'm older then both of you. Therefore, I get to sit up front."

"No fair! I'm taller then you, Sakura!" Naruto exclaims. I slap the back of his head.

"Idiot, I'm taller then you. So either way we cut it, you aren't gonna get to sit in the front seat unless either Sakura or I give it to you volentarialy so sucks to be you." I stick my tongue out at him as Sakura laughs and slaps me a high five.

My brother glances at us with review mirror and shakes his head, a small smile on his lips. It's been about 2 days since I came out to my brother and everything went as we planned. Normal. We didn't speak to each other differently, we didn't look at each other differently. Itachi certantly hasn't forgotten his brotherly duties.

So, Naruto, Sakura, Itachi, Kisame-who we are going to pick up as of right now- and I are all going to the mall to pick up gifts for Christmas which is a real blow because Christmas is still like 2 months away. Itachi said that he always got his presents early so that he didn't have to do anything last minute. Which really sucks because when he's finally got our presents, he watches us like a hawk making sure we don't decide to indulge ourselves and accidently get ourselves the gift he got us.

A few years ago I did that and he scowled at me all the way till Christmas Eve when he finally found something else for me. It was not a fun experience for me and I would appreciate it if that occurence were to never happen again. Which by the way, he scowled at me for 3 whole months. It really sucked.

We pull up into Kisame's driveway and Itachi honks the horn. His tall friend emerges from the house and heads right for the passenger seat. To avoid conflict with the overbareing best friend of Itachi Uchiha she leaps out of the passenger side and into the back next to Naruto who grinned at her like this was his birthday.

It goes without saying that he got a good purple welt on his arm from her fist and bitched and complained all the way to the mall. This is the last time I wll ever let the two of them sit in a confined space next to one another.

**A/N: Let me know what you think! Rate, review and have a nice day!**


	15. Itachi's love

Stockholm Syndrome

**Sasuke's POV**

"How about this?" Sakura asks, showing me a black stocking cap with a red cloud on it. "Do you think that Itachi would like it?"

I give it a look, not really sure that my brother would be into that sort of thing. Sure, he likes black and red, but I don't think he would be interested in something so... cultish. Not that a black hat with a few red clouds is cultish... maybe I'm overreacting.

"I don't know. Go with your instincs." I offer. Sakura purses her lips. She studies the hat in her hands then at me, a thoughtful look on her face. Then she frowns.

She looks at me, again. "He'll never wear it."

I smile sadly. "Yeah, probably not. He's real anal about his hair."

Sakura snorts loudly and throws a hand over her mouth a nose. We share a dumbfounded look before both of us start cracking up. Sakura's snort comes back and that makes us laugh harder. Naruto, who heard us laughing came to join in the fun.

Naruto and I both start making snorting noises to tease Sakura, she surprisingly takes it well and we laugh for about 10 straight minutes. Everyone around us giving looks that might suggest their worried for our sanity. Sakura throws the hat back on the rack and pulls her gray Donegal cap over her pink hair.

I do a quick check of my black fleece hat. Until the case with Itachi blows over and something more interesting happens in the town Sakura, Itachi, mom, dad and I have to be hidden in public unless we want the people to be all, "Ooh... it's _those _people. The ones from the Uchiha vs. Institute case..."

"Anal about his hair," Sakura snickers looking around for something else to buy my brother. I grin at my joke. It's more truth then anything else but it was nice to laugh with Sakura and Naruto. Itachi would not have liked what I said. He'd probably of retorted something equally as mean and as embarrassing like bringing up my adolescent years. Ha ha.

After hours of depressing shopping we all meet up in the food court. We all sit in a circle table and discuss our trips without revealing our gifts. Hey, that rhymed.

Sakura told him the failed attempt at a gift she was going to get him and we all laughed. A split second before Itachi and Kisame joined us, they shared a look.

"I'll remember that Sasuke." Itachi says after the joke lost it's luster. A teasing glint deep in the depths of his midnight black eyes, "Don't forget, I helped change your diapers. And when you were a baby and noticed what you had between your legs-you cried." Ah ha! I knew he was going to attack me in my baby years.

Wait what?

"Huh?" I ask over Naruto, Sakura and Kisame's laughter. "What the hell do you mean, I cried?"

"Sissy!" Naruto laughs, "Come on! You were scared of your own pe-Ow! Sakura that hurt!"

Sakura glares at him. "Well, sorry Naruto but your voice travels."

Kisame takes a bite of his pizza and gives a snicker like he thought of something funny. "Seriously, brat. Be considerate of all the people here who don't want to hear about Sasuke's dick."

Naruto laughs and wiggles his eyebrows at me. "Think about the people that do! Sakura!"

I blush as Sakura does. "Idiot! I'm over that! Gaah!"

I clear my throat and look to my brother who looks at me with half lidded eyes, leaning on his hand, elbow supported by the table. His long black hair dipped over his thin shoulder onto the table. While looking at my brother, I noticed that not only is he really petite but he also has a strong look to him.

My brother has a big friend like Kisame who looks like he lifts weights heavier then my brother and I combined, but Kisame isn't in control when it comes to the two of them. My brother is able to make people, like his friends, listen to him and turn to his side of the situation.

Oh my god, he could be a politician!

"What are you thinking about?" I ask softly, leaning close to my brother so we can speak privately. Naruto notices and instead of making a big deal about it, he gets Sakura and Kisame into a conversation of their own. Sometimes, I love Naruto. He's loud and obnoxious at times but he is a true friend and I don't know what I would ever do without him being a light in my life.

Itachi stares at my vacant area, lost in his thoughts. I watch him blink slowly and admire his long eyelashes brushing his cheeks. My lashes are long and so are mom and dad's but none of ours are as long as Itachi's.

My thoughts travel into a deep dark, untraveled area in the deep crevis' of my mind. A sudden thought comes to me, something that never accured to me until now.

Why would a man such as that want to rape my brother, a witness to his crime, instead of just kill him?

My eyes run over my brother's petite form. His thin arms and legs. His long thin fingers. His long hair hidden, besides his bangs and a little on one side that needs to be fixed, in a black hat much like mine, and lashes. His thin face. His deep slow voice that seems like a lullaby. Those sensual deep black eyes and his pale silky white skin. The necks of all his shirts, just low enough that you can see his protruding collarbone and long pale neck.

"Quit staring."

I blink and look to my brother's eyes. The ones that are now staring at me.

"Your making me nervous." he says softly, though he doesn't look nervous at all. I offer a light smile.

"Sorry..." I mumble, "just admiring your good looks."

Itachi's dark eyes sparkle and his lips part. "Sasuke..." he frowns slightly then his eyes intensify. "Don't... just... just don't move."

I do as told as my brother leans closer, so slowly. I knew instantly that he was going to kiss me and my breath caught in my throat. Was this really happening? His breath sweeps across my face and then his lips are hovering over mine. Dimly I notice that Itachi and I are the same height- where had the years gone?

My heart pounds loudly as Itachi's eye waters up slightly but his lips press lightly against mine. The tear escapes and slides out of his closed black eye. His lips only lay against mine for a moment before he pulls back slightly, laying his forehead against mine. "Sasuke..." he breaths lightly, voice thick, "please... forgive me..."

I can't possibly fathom the need to forgive him for anything. Then I realized.

Itachi doesn't want to love his brother so much. The tear was one of pain. He loves me so much that at times, like this, it's painful to him. He's disgusted with himself for loving me, his baby brother who he did in fact take care of since I was a baby. He could never be grossed out by me loving boys, but merely cannot fathom how someone he loves so dearly could ever love him just as much in return. That was why Itachi went silent to protect me... cause he never had a chance to believe otherwise.

He loved me more then his freedom.

Tears leap through his closed eyelids, sliding down his thin face. I bring up my hands and wipe the tears away. His eyelids part and his black eyes appear, eyelashes wet.

When those sad eyes looked at me I remembered all the nights I held my sobbing brother. I thought he was crying because his tormentor took his voice away... but now I realise that as I held him he wanted so much to speak to me again but he couldn't. Not if I was in danger. He swallowed the words he could never say.

_I love you._

_I want to hold you._

_I want to love you._

_I want us to be together forever._

_We belong together._

_No one can have you, I wont allow it._

_I want you to love me._

I open my mouth to speak but no words come out. There is nothing I could possibly say that could make up for the years my brother has loved and taken care of me. The nights that he sat up alone, crying because he didn't know I would comfort him. This is why when I proclaimed my love to him he took it so bad. He thinks he's a monster older brother manipulating his baby brother.

To everyone else, that's what it will seem like.

But no one knows how much my brother truly loves me. I might not even be able to fathom it. Who in the world could ever love someone so much that it physically hurts them to be near said love but is life threatening to be away from?

Finally, the words come to me. "I love you." I whisper so softly, I don't think he even heard me. More tears fall but his face remains unchanged.

"Forgive me." he whispers back just as lightly.

I smile tenderly. "Never." I kiss his lips as hard as I can, his tears wetting my face. I feel his hand rest on my chest, right under my collarbone. I pull back and place it over my heart. "I'm alive, Itachi," I breath, "and it's all because of you. I will never for_get _that." More tears fall from his eyes but he doesn't pull away.

I notice that Sakura, Naruto and Kisame are looking at us, but looking away and continuing their conversation on crappy airline food (even Naruto has only been on an airplane once) and pretending not to see us. They are good friends. Naruto and Sakura are my best friends in the whole world and Kisame would never betray Itachi. They have been best friends since they were little kids and have been inseparable ever since that first day.

Kisame keeps Itachi laid back and protected while Itachi keeps Kisame company and helps him get out of trouble. A tight friendship that both hold dear. Almost always are the two of them together. I never noticed how much Kisame really cared about Itachi until this day.

When Itachi and I pull back, I start putting his long black hair, besides his bangs, back up while he tries to compose himself. Kisame instantly turns to him and starts talking like nothing was happening just a moment ago. Itachi whips the last of his tears away and takes a weak bite of his salad and answers in a thick voice.

Naruto and Sakura catch on to the older more experienced friend and starts up their own conversation with me.

Once we call it a day and decide that there have been enough gifts bought, we all hop back into the car and Itachi drives us home, now completely under control. He chats with Kisame about a chemistry test and how if Kisame doesn't study then he's gonna fail it and drop a whole letter grade.

From what I gather through this rather obvious observation, Kisame doesn't care nearly as much about his grades as Itachi does. When I voice this thought, Kisame agrees right away and Itachi glares at me lightly in the mirror. He drops Naruto off fist, then Sakura, then Kisame and when we get to our house, mom and dad are ushering us in for dinner.

"How was the mall, Sasuke?" mom asks.

I take a bite of my chicken and shrug. "Fine. Apparently Itachi is anal about his hair and I'm scared to be a boy."

Mom nearly chokes on her water and bursts out laughing as dad turns away to hide a chuckle. Itachi buries his head in his hands, apparently embarrest with what I just said or for me. I smile and proudly toss a tomato into my mouth, chewing with raised eyebrows.

"Not appropriate language for the table, Sasuke." Dad says in a low, uncontrolled voice. Mom gasps for breath at the end of her laughing session and chugs down her water before asking the maid to get her more. All the hired help in the room try to smother their laughter as well and the maid gratefully rushes from the room and burst out laughing when the door shuts behind her.

Once our dinner is done we all go to our separate corners of the house. Dad goes to his office, mom goes to her art room, Itachi goes to his room, and I go to the bathroom. I take a shower and think about the day I just had, wondering if it is real. In just a few hours I learned more about Naruto, Sakura, Kisame, and Itachi then I ever knew. How is that when you think you know someone, when you take the time to really look at them and their actions, you realise that there is even more to them, then what you see.

Once I'm done showering and in bed, I close my eyes and try to sleep. An anxious, itchy feeling worms it's way into my gut. I roll over and look out to the moon, curious on how it feels... to always watch the world beneath it without being able to reach out and interact with it.

How would I feel?

How do I feel?

There is a creek from my door. I look over to see it open slightly. After a moment longer, it opens all the way and Itachi steps in, and closes the door behind him. His long black hair is released from it's confounds and glitters a light gray color in the moonlight. I move back as he crawls into bed with me.

"I want to talk."

"About today?" I guess, gazing into those dark eyes.

He nods, looking ashamed. "Yes," he looks back at me, "Sasuke... I shouldn't have done that. It wasn't right. You're my little brother and I shouldn't have encouraged your love for me..."

I wait for him to continue but he doesn't so I say, "There is nothing you can do that could possibly stop me from loving you, Itachi. Kissing you today made me so happy. It made me feel special and complete and just... the most lucky person in the world. I wouldn't take it back for anything."

Itachi shakes his head, dejecting. Almost like he gives up. He scoots forward a little and kisses my lips lightly. I intertwine my fingers into his hair and pull him closer. He doesn't seem to mind. I run my tongue along the bottom of his lip and he opens up so we can fight. Running our tongues along one another. He and I pull back for a breath and stare at each other. Some kind of silent understanding between us.

_This is what I want._

_You are what I want._

_You and I are perfect for one another._

_I love you more then can ever be put into words._

I pull my fingers from the silky locks and lay my forehead against his as he and I wrap our arms around each other and close our eyes.

I could get used to this.

**A/N: How was that? A lot longer then I thought it would be. I thought of ending about 600 words ago but my account hasn't been letting me update so out of boredom I came back and wrote more and had to force myself to stop. Enjoy the long chapter! Rate, Review and have an awesome day!**


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